Copyright © 2011 Marcus Demond Davidson All rights reserved

Transcription

Copyright © 2011 Marcus Demond Davidson
All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to
reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen
by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation, or instruction.
DEVELOPING CHURCH MEMBERS INTO MINISTRY
LEADERS AT THE NEW MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST
CHURCH, FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
__________________
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
__________________
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Ministry
__________________
by
Marcus Demond Davidson
December 2011
APPROVAL SHEET
Read and Approved by:
__________________________________________
T. Vaughn Walker (Faculty Supervisor)
__________________________________________
Timothy K. Beougher
Date _______________________________
To Yvokia,
my friend, my life partner, my love.
And to Layla,
our baby girl
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
vi
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6
Definitions and Delimitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Project Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
2. THE BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL RATIONALE FOR
DEVELOPING CHURCH MEMBERS INTO MINISTRY LEADERS . . . .
11
The Biblical Precedent for the Pastor to Develop Church Members
into Ministry Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
The Pastoral Responsibility to Develop Church Members into
Ministry Leaders through Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19
The Pastoral Responsibility to Develop Church Members into
Ministry Leaders through Preaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24
The Biblical Significance of Incorporating Spiritual Disciplines . . . . . . . .
27
3. EVALUATING AND IMPLEMENTING PRACTICAL CONCEPTS
FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35
Being an Effective Leader in Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35
The Leader’s Influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
The Benefit of Effective Communication as a Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40
A Trustworthy Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
42
iv
Chapter
Page
Staying Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Developing Followers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
46
Developing Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
The Prioritizing Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
47
The Leader and Sacrifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The Leader and Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Future Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51
4. PROJECT DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
53
Focus Group Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
Distributing the Pre-Test to the Focus Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
Pastoral Training Seminars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
55
Project Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
68
5. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Evaluation of Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Evaluation of Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
71
Evaluation of Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
73
Strengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
74
Weaknesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
What I Would Do Differently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
76
Theological Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Personal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
78
1. PRE-SEMINAR QUESTIONNAIRE WITH RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
80
2. POST-SEMINAR QUESTIONNAIRE WITH RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
84
3. SURVEY WITH RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
87
Appendix
3. CASE STUDY FOR FOCUS GROUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
v
91
PREFACE
I am grateful to so many people who supported and inspired me to accomplish
this work. My supervising professor, Dr. T. Vaughn Walker, encouraged and challenged
me to work hard and never give up. His support made me more determined to finish well,
and to him I am truly grateful.
Many wonderful people have supported, inspired, and encouraged me in this
work. However, there has been no one more inspiring during this journey than Dr. Jothan
White. He helped me to maintain focus and pressed me to be disciplined in my work.
Although he was miles away, he was always available to listen and challenge me.
A number of other people granted their support as I worked through this project.
My parents have continually offered their prayers and phenomenal support; even during the
most difficult times they were there for me. I am also very thankful for the support of my
entire family, who would not let me give up. I am truly grateful to all of my colleagues in
the Doctor of Ministry program, who supported and listened to me since we have been
together. Also, I cannot express the depth of my gratitude for the love and support shown
by my church family, New Mount Olive Baptist Church. The prayers of the church and
staff have truly been a blessing.
I do not have the words that could ever express how grateful I am to my wife,
Yvokia, and our daughter, Layla, for their love and support during this work. Yvokia has
been unselfish and unwavering in being there for me and our family during this work.
The times that I had to travel to school, go to the library, work late at night—she has been
there. Through all of her quiet and gentle support, I have grown to love her so much
more. I thank God for giving me such a woman of faith.
vi
Lastly, I thank God for granting to me the opportunity to study and grow through
this work. It is solely by His grace and mercy that I have been able to accomplish this goal.
Marcus D. Davidson
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
December 2011
vii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Purpose
The purpose of this project was to develop church members into ministry
leaders at the New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Goals
This project intended to accomplish four objectives that were used to evaluate
the effectiveness of this project. The first objective was to make the church members
aware of the pastoral responsibility of developing church members into ministry leaders.
This goal was brought to fruition by utilizing the training methods of the Apostle Paul.
Pastors often forsake the development of leaders in the church. As a result, the people
who hold positions are often unqualified or ill prepared for the particular positions of
leadership. During an 8-week preaching and teaching series, church members from the
New Mount Olive Baptist Church were trained by the pastor to foster the development of
leaders. This series led to biblical knowledge of leadership of the church members who
were developed into a ministry leader. The Apostle Paul used this training model with
Timothy and Titus. The second objective of this project was to help church members
incorporate various spiritual disciplines to promote spiritual formation. The spiritual
disciplines of prayer and fasting is specifically the focus. The spiritual lives of leaders
are too often overlooked; however, the spiritual life is one of the staples of an effective
ministry leader. The spiritual life of one should never be compromised for academic
knowledge or inherent ability.
The third objective of this project was to develop a curriculum and teach
1
church members practical information about leadership that would aid them in their
development of ministry leaders. This aspect of the project gave the leaders knowledge,
as well as, hands on experience in some basic areas of leadership. Leaders must have an
understanding of some basic principles, if they intend to be effective in their leadership
role. The understanding of these basic leadership principles will be more effective if
theoretical knowledge can be translated into practical application.
The final objective of this project was to assign a focus group the responsibility
of evaluating the ministry leaders’ growth after being transformed from church members.
The focus group was comprised of church members who had been transformed into
ministry leaders. The evaluation was predicated upon the experience from the pastoral
training program, the incorporation of various spiritual disciplines, and the knowledge
and experience obtained from the curriculum taught to the leaders.
The ultimate objective of this project was to cultivate and develop the
leadership skills and abilities of church members for ministry leadership.
Context
New Mount Olive Baptist Church is located in the city of Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, in Broward County. Although the church is located in the city of Fort
Lauderdale, the church has members throughout Broward County and some in MiamiDade County. However, the majority of the members reside in Broward County.
Broward County is comprised of thirty municipalities and is racially diverse.
The non-white population of Broward County is about 42 percent. The Hispanic and
Black population groups have seen the most growth increase over the past 10 plus years.
There were 654,445 households and 411, 403 families in Broward County according to
the 2000 census data. The median household income was $41,691 and the median family
income was $50,531. 1
1
Office of Urban Planning and Redevelopment, Broward-by-the-Numbers,
2
In the formative years, from 1918 to 1922, G. T. Green, G. S. McClover,
Walter Bryant and S. T. Stafford served as pastors of the church. For the next 7 years,
from 1923 to 1930, the fifth pastor, and first Master Builder, H. P. Bragdon, led the
construction of church’s first buildings. Prior to Bragdon, the church met in the homes of
some of the members. The first small wooden Church was built in 1925 on Northwest
9th Avenue and 4th Street adjacent from where the current church building now stands.
It was destroyed a year later by the hurricane that the grandparents of many called “the
terrible ‘26 storm.” A second wooden Church was rebuilt in the same location, but it was
destroyed by the ferocious hurricane of 1928. Bragdon then replaced that Church with a
brick building that still stands today. This third building was physically moved to NW
15th Way, off 6th Street (now Sistrunk Boulevard) in 1944 to make way for the current
building to be constructed across the street. Bragdon had Mount Olive officially
registered in 1946 and renamed as New Mount Olive Baptist Church. That remains its
official name to this day.
In the early years of the 1930s, Mount Olive called its sixth pastor, C. H.
Williams, who, because of his poor health, turned out to be essentially transitional
between Bragdon, and O. W. Wells. C. H. Williams was aided by a number of other
ministers who served as Assistant Pastors because of his failing health during the period
between Bragdon and Wells.
O. W. Wells, Mount Olive’s seventh pastor, ushered in a new and dynamic era
of Christian growth and development. He was officially called to the pastorate in 1937,
but some records indicate that he began serving Mount Olive sometime in 1936. He
served as pastor until his death in 1950. Wells led the church in the construction of the
original stone edifice that stands across the street today. The church that is currently
located on 9th Avenue and Fourth Street today is the original church as expanded by two
August 2003, no. 2.
3
of Wells’ successors, R. H. Lee and G. W. Weaver. Wells christened the Church Greater
New Mount Olive Baptist Church, a name that we see inscribed in the stained glass above
the front entrance to the building. The use of the name was continued under R. H. Lee.
After the unexpected passing of the much loved O. W. Wells, God gave the
church another gifted leader, in the person of R. H. Lee, who served as the eighth pastor
for ten years, from 1951 until his death in 1961. Not only did Lee add to the church’s
building, he also introduced a number of administrative innovations. He is remembered
for having divided the General Missionary Society, a ministry of the church that still
exists today for missions and outreach founded under Wells, into a number of smaller
groups, which he called “circles.” These circles dealt with the various needs of the
congregation, the local community, and the foreign missions.
After the death of Lee, Mount Olive was blessed with another strong leader
and Master Builder, the ninth pastor, George E. Weaver, who was called to the pastorate
in 1962. During the early years of his administration, Weaver expanded the entire south
side of the church, increasing the seating capacity of the sanctuary by some 200, and
adding 18 classrooms. The membership of Mount Olive grew substantially under
Weaver that even with the new addition the sanctuary could not accommodate the
membership and weekly visitors. God led him to embark on the project of building the
$1.5 million dollar edifice where the church worships today. The new building was
completed and first occupied in 1979. Guided by the Almighty, and the approval of the
membership, in 1981, Weaver recruited Mack King Carter to serve as his co-pastor.
When Weaver announced his retirement in 1982, the church unanimously called Carter to
serve as its tenth Pastor. Weaver remained at the helm of the church for 20 years, from
1962 until his retirement in 1982. In recognition of Carter’s rank above the several
additional ministerial positions, his title was changed to that of Senior Pastor in 1984.
Under the leadership of Carter, Mount Olive grew exponentially in size,
ministry, and mission. There are more than 75 ministries in the church. The name
4
ministry was given to the various groups formerly known as committees, circles and
boards. In 1994, as an outgrowth of Carter’s vision, the church established the Mount
Olive Development Corporation (MODCO), with special responsibility for assisting with
economic development, health, and social services, and affordable housing in the
community. In 2001 Carter appointed Rosalind Osgood to head MODCO.
Whereas Bragdon, Wells, Lee, and Weaver may be rightly termed Master
Builders, Mack King Carter was and is known throughout the nation as a Master Preacher
and a Master Teacher. He is an internationally acclaimed theologian and a brilliant
Biblical scholar, whose books are guideposts for many of his peers. His sermons and
other presentations attract thousands of his fellow ministers, as well as seminarians and
laypersons at national conventions and other venues.
The years of New Mount Olive’s existence, from 1918 to 2010, the
phenomenal growth can be measured, in part, by the expansion of its membership. The
church began with eight members in 1918 and grew to some 500 members by 1930 under
Bragdon’s leadership. In September 1949, Estelle R. Pinkett, the Church Secretary under
Wells, circulated the membership roll that included 835 names. Fortunately, that
document was preserved by one of the church’s members, the late Lillie Bell Brown, who
gave it to her nephew, Henry Lumpkins. He, in turn passed it on to Willie F. Morton,
whose diligent collecting and preserving of church documents over several decades
enabled the church to write the history now disseminated. Fittingly, Lumpkins now
serves as the late Morton’s successor, as the chairperson of the Church Anniversary and
Historical Ministry.
According to a report issued in 1961, New Mount Olive’s membership had
increased to “approximately 1700” by August 31, 1960, toward the end of Lee’s
pastorate. By 1982, three years after Weaver had led the congregation into the new
edifice, the church’s membership was reported to be “more than 3500.” In 1993, in
celebration of Mount Olive’s 75th Anniversary, the church issued a Diamond Jubilee
5
pictorial directory that included a list of 4,853 members of the church. In October 2008,
shortly before the church’s 90th Anniversary, the church’s computerized membership
roster contained 10,072 names, of which 9431 persons were listed as “active members,”
and 641 as “contributors”, whose occasional gifts amounted to more than $100 each. 2
For the first time in the church’s history a pulpit committee was selected and
the church called this writer as its eleventh pastor. I was extended the call to be Senior
Pastor in November 2009 by 93 percent of the voting congregants. I assumed the role of
Senior Pastor in January 2010. History is yet to be recorded as to how the Lord will use
me.
Rationale
The Apostle Paul wrote, “And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets,
and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints
for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12, NASV).
The word “pastor” comes from the Greek word SRLPƝQ, meaning shepherds. The pastor
has the responsibility of caring for the spiritual welfare of the flock. 3 Part of the caring is
to ensure that the church has well equipped leaders to serve in ministry. The Mount
Olive Baptist Church has many members who are willing to serve. The willingness to
serve does not negate the pastoral responsibility of equipping those who are willing to
serve.
Not only does the Apostle Paul use the word SRLPƝQ, but he connects another
word, didaskolos with the conjunction kai. Wuest describes this construction:
The words ‘pastor’ and ‘teachers’ are in a construction called Granvill Sharp’s rule
which indicates that they refer to one individual. The one who shepherds God’s
2
Niara Sudarkasa, “New Mount Olive Baptist Church 91st Church
Anniversary: A History, 2009.
3
Colin Brown, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 3: 568.
6
flock is also a teacher of the Word, having both the gifts of shepherding and teaching
the flock. God’s ideal pastor is one who engages in a didactic ministry, feeding the
saints on expository preaching, giving them the rich food of the Word. 4
Not only is the pastor supposed to feed but he must understand the didactic responsibility.
The Apostle Paul used the Greek word didaskolos. Men holding this office had the task
of explaining the Christian faith to others and of providing a Christian exposition of the
Old Testament. 5 Thus the pastor and teacher have the dual task of feeding and teaching
the members of the church.
A problem that has permeated the presence of many churches is that the church
has sought to leave training to others. Some would rather allow institutions of higher
learning to train the leaders. Although, formal education is of paramount importance,
that does not exempt the church, particularly the pastor from his responsibility.
There is a great need for leadership development in the church today. Many
church members have failed to be effective ministry leaders because of the lack of spiritual
leadership development. To that end, church members too often attempt to secularize
their position in the church. For example, a person who works as a banker from Monday
to Friday is not necessarily qualified to be the church’s chief financial officer. The
church must ensure that the church members are developed into ministry leaders. The
church needs leaders who are equipped to do the work of the ministry. The church
cannot afford to trust secular institutions to enlighten its leaders for the work of the
ministry. The church, along with theological institutions, must take their place in the
development process of training leaders for the ministry. The church must not be
satisfied with men and women being mere church members but seek to transform
members into ministry leaders who have a heart for the work of the kingdom of God.
In a shifting paradigm of what the world wants the church to be, the need is
4
Kenneth S.Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament [CDROM] (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
5
Brown, The New International Dictionary, 3: 768.
7
overwhelmingly great for more leadership development. Today, there are too many
people holding positions of leadership within the church who have not committed
themselves to leadership training. Every church needs to insist on transforming church
members into ministry leaders. It is an unfortunate day, in the contemporary church,
when members fail to recognize the importance of spiritual formation and theological
training as a part of leadership development. Although some church members may not be
led by God to matriculate through a seminary, there must be a desire for biblical and
practical knowledge regarding leadership.
One of the expected benefits of this project was to see church members
understand the biblical perspective of what it meant to be equipped for the work of the
ministry, as the Apostle Paul stated in the book of Ephesians 4:11-12. Another
expectation was to see leaders ultimately doing the work of the church and not just
church work. Seeing church members transformed into ministry leaders, with a Christcentered approach to leadership, was also an important aspect of this project.
This project was vitally important to the New Mount Olive Baptist Church
because of the implementation of new ministry initiatives. The new initiatives required
leaders with a ministry-guided mindset. The New Mount Olive Baptist Church is a
traditional church. The members of the church would be viable assets to the ministry
after being trained to do ministry with a more contemporary approach. The focus was to
change the mindset and lives of the traditionally thinking church members because of the
limited perspective of biblical leadership among some of its members. If the New Mount
Olive Baptist Church is going to be effective in ministry for the twenty-first century, the
development of the church members currently serving in leadership roles is of principal
importance. It was necessary that this project came to fruition if the New Mount Olive
Baptist Church was to be the church that impacted the local community as well as the
Christian community.
8
Definitions and Delimitations
In this project, I used the following definitions for church members and
ministry leaders. Church members were people who occupy positions in the church but
have not been biblically trained for servant leadership. Ministry leaders were people who
were biblically trained and had a deep spiritual commitment about servant leadership.
The limitations of this project were as follows. First, the length of this project
consisted of 15 weeks: an 8-week pastoral training program with the pastor having
personal hands-on seminars and preaching sermons designed to foster relationships in
leadership and raising the expectations of leaders. The seminars were based on the
training methods of Paul. There was a 2-week training seminar on the incorporation of
spiritual disciplines in the lives of leaders. The groups of seminars were focused on
various spiritual disciplines to develop the spiritual life of the leader. A 5-week
curriculum was developed for the purpose of training in practical aspects of leadership.
The desire of this project was to transform church members into ministry
leaders by developing the leaders in three specific areas. First, I wanted to expose them
to the advantages of pastoral training in leadership. Second, my concern was for the
leader’s development of a strong spiritual life through the active usage of spiritual
disciplines. Third, I wanted the leaders to gain insight on practical aspects of leadership
that would make leadership more desirable.
The delimitations for this project were the focus group of 20 church members
of the New Mount Olive Baptist Church. These members were individuals who had
evidenced a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ through regularly attending and
participating worship, Bible study, Sunday school, ministries of the church, and who
tithed regularly to the church were to be placed in leadership roles within the church after
the training.
Project Methodology
The key aspect of this project was to develop church members into ministry
9
leaders. The first goal was to make the church members of the New Mount Olive Baptist
Church aware of the fact that the pastor has a role and responsibility to teach the church
members. I taught four seminars and preached four sermons that showed the church
members the methods of teaching of the Apostle Paul to Timothy and Titus. After the
church members gained insight on training methods, they were being further transformed
into ministry leaders.
The second goal was to teach the leaders the importance of having a strong
spiritual life. Expectantly, the goals were reached through two seminars on how to
incorporate and utilize spiritual disciplines that nurtured the spiritual growth of leaders
personally. These seminars consisted of theory and practice.
The third goal was to develop a 5-week curriculum that would enlighten the
leaders of practical aspects of leadership. Various perspectives on the practical concepts
of leadership were evaluated.
The final goal of this project was to secure a focus group consisting of
members from the New Mount Olive Baptist Church. The members were responsible for
individual and group evaluations prior to and after the mentoring and training. The focus
group utilized surveys, questionnaires, and group discussions.
10
CHAPTER 2
THE BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL RATIONALE
FOR DEVELOPING CHURCH MEMBERS
INTO MINISTRY LEADERS
The New Mount Olive Baptist Church will develop members into ministry
leaders through understanding the biblical foundation that has been established regarding
how God has used individuals in Scripture. The information will be utilized to express
the biblical evidence of how it is God’s will that men and women be equipped and
prepared for ministry. Also, the need for the pastor to be intimately involved in the
training and development of members for ministry leadership will be illustrated.
This chapter also demonstrates the grave importance of the significance of
spiritual disciplines as a tool for spiritual development of members who will become
ministry leaders. Specifically, the spiritual disciplines of fasting and praying are
examined. These two spiritual disciplines are only two of many disciplines that should
be incorporated into spiritual development. Nevertheless, this chapter will intentionally
focus on the spiritual disciplines of fasting and praying.
The Biblical Precedent for the Pastor to Develop
Church Members into Ministry Leaders
As one begins to understand the nature of pastoral leadership, it becomes clear
that the pastoral leader plays a significant role in leadership development. It is through the
visionary guidance and direction of the pastor that members are trained and developed
into ministry leaders. According to the writing of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:11-12,
the pastor/teacher has a biblical mandate to equip the members of the body of Christ for
ministry. This is clear biblical evidence that the pastor has a responsibility to be integrally
involved in developing church members into ministry leaders.
11
What Is a Pastor
The Christian minister has been called by many names such as pastor, elder,
curator, preacher, priest, minister, and this is not an exhaustive list.1 The title of pastor is
widely used to refer to the Christian minister.
“The pastor” defined is a member of the body of Christ who is called by God
and the church and set apart by ordination representatively to proclaim the Word,
administer sacraments, and guide and nurture the Christian community toward full
response to God’s self-disclosure. 2 Two words of paramount importance are guide and
nurture. If church members are going to be developed into ministry leaders, the pastor
must guide and nurture the process. That is one of the premiere reasons the pastor should
be integrally involved in the development of members. The pastor is the theologian in
residence and he should give biblical instruction that will lead to the development of
ministry leaders.
However, the pastor is not a professional. Professionalism has nothing to do
with the essence and heart of the Christian minister. 3 That some would relegate the
pastor to such a secularized individual could potentially hinder the spiritual depth needed
when trying to develop and equip saints for ministry. The mentality that some have
regarding the pastor tears the very fabric of what the pastoral ministry is all about in the
realm of Christianity. It is not only problematic when others perceive him as a mere
professional, but it is detrimental when the pastor perceives himself as a professional
rather than a servant. Members who are to be developed into ministry leaders must
recognize the pastor as a servant and not a mere professional. As a servant leader, he is to
1
Thomas C. Oden, Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry (New York:
Harper Collins, 1983), 49.
2
Ibid., 50.
3
John Piper, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals (Nashville: Broadman &
Holman, 2001), 1.
12
train others to be servant leaders by example. The Lord did not call the pastor to be a
professional and develop other professionals. However, He called pastors to be servants
and as a servant, he is an equipper of other servants.
The Role of the Pastor
The pastor, in the contemporary church, plays many roles. He is often
surrounded by a vast number of capable staff. Despite the fact that a number of churches
today have full-time staff ministers, the role of the senior pastor as teacher, preacher,
caretaker, and developer must not be trivialized. It is important that the pastor is integrally
involved in the training and development of the members for ministry leadership. A
great biblical example of this concept is that of the Apostle Paul. Paul did not command
Timothy to walk a path that he himself had not walked. Paul encouraged Timothy to be
strong, and in being strong he should teach others the things that were taught to him (2
Tim 2:1-2). Paul set a good example of Christian ministry for Timothy because Paul
served not only as a spiritual father to Timothy, but as a role model as well. 4
A major function of leaders is to serve as role models of Christian character for
others in the community. 5 As a role model, the pastor must have integrity of character
that validates his role. If character is questionable, the ability to be an effective role
model is compromised. When integrity is compromised he will not be able to effectively
move members to a place of becoming ministry leaders.
The pastor has to play many roles. He has to be shepherd, teacher, preacher,
and spiritual caretaker to name a few. However, in the midst of having multiple roles, he
must always remain intimately involved with the congregation to see the development of
members into ministry leaders. The pastor’s presence is vital when it comes to the
4
Frank Damazio, The Making of a Leader (Portland, OR: City Bible, 1988), 166.
5
Richard B. Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross,
New Creation (New York: HarperCollins, 1996), 69.
13
implementation of many things in the church. Although he does not have to be involved
with every single detail, it is important that he oversees all of the processes and details of
the church. For good or ill, the pastor is often the one who has the total picture or
overview of the congregation, no matter how much responsibility is delegated to boards,
committees, or individuals. 6
The Pastor as Shepherd
God’s leaders are given many titles both in the Old Testament and the New
Testament. The term “shepherd” has particular importance to God but is often the least
used among people in the contemporary church. 7 The pastor as shepherd has strong
leadership implications. The shepherd must go before the people and prepare the way for
them. He must go before the people in his experiences and lifestyle so that he may safely
lead them through potential troubles that might lie ahead. 8 In order to go ahead of the
people effectively, the “shepherd” must have prior knowledge of the terrain and landscape.
In essence, the pastor must do a reconnaissance mission, similar to Nehemiah before he
led his followers to rebuilding the walls (Neh 2:11-15). The “shepherd” must take much
care that he does not lead the sheep down a detrimental path or allow them to go down
such a path. Therefore, ministry leadership development must be at the forefront for the
pastor who is going shepherd the sheep or members. He has a genuine concern for the
members being developed. So their development will be contingent upon the shepherd’s
guidance. In order to effectively guide sheep, the shepherd must be in the presence of the
sheep, which makes it important that the shepherd be involved in the process of training
and development.
6
Floyd Massey, Jr. and Samuel Berry McKinney, Church Administration in the
Black Church Perspective (Valley Forge: Judson, 2003), 51.
7
Damazio, The Making of a Leader, 89.
8
Ibid., 19.
14
The Pastor and the People:
Building a Relationship
Building relationships among the congregation is an important factor for
developing church members into ministry leaders. The church is modeled as the “body
of Christ.” 9 Since the church is modeled as a body, it is alive. The church is more
organism than organization. 10 The church is an organism that is living thus having various
members to make up the body. Therefore, if the body is going to have ministry leaders,
there should be relationship building between the pastor and people.
The relationship between the apostle Paul and Timothy is one to be noted.
Timothy takes on special significance because he functioned in team ministry and in a
special personal relationship with the apostle Paul. 11 The special personal relationship
shared between Paul and Timothy affected the way Paul trained and developed Timothy
as a ministry leader. Paul referred to Timothy as “my beloved son” (2 Tim 1:2). The
designation as “beloved son” carries much significance regarding the relationship of Paul
and Timothy. 12 Paul and Timothy’s relationship was evidenced in the fact that Timothy
served with Paul in the gospel. 13 The bond shared by the two of them fostered a climate
that was conducive for training and development.
As pastor, one must be intentional about building strong relationships. When
members feel a sense of connection with the pastor, they are more inclined to accept what
9
Athony G. Pappas, Entering the World of the Small Church (Bethesda, MD:
Alban Institute, 2000), 15.
10
Ibid., 16.
11
12
A. Skevington Wood, Ephesians through Philemon, in vol. 11 of The
Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998),
393. In the first Epistle, Paul greeted Timothy as “my true son in the faith.” Here it is
“my dear (DJDSƝWRV “beloved”) son.” Paul had a warm affection for his young convert
and colleague.
13
William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Thessalonians, the Pastorals,
and Hebrews, The New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), 224.
15
he is teaching and preaching. Also, there is a greater possibility of acceptance as the
pastor leads the individual from mere membership to ministry leader.
The Pastor as Teacher
A function of the pastor that must not be overlooked is that of teacher. Paul
writes in 1 Timothy 3:2 that the leader should be “able to teach.” The one ministerial
function implied in the lists of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 is for leaders is the teaching
role. 14 The office of teacher had a long and honorable history in Israel, especially from
the time of the giving of the law. 15 Moses was called to teach the law that he introduced.
A king could teach judging from Solomon’s proficiency in proverbs. King Jehoshaphat
commissioned certain princes to teach. 16 Thus, teaching has long been important for
development. The pastor is significant as teacher in the church because of the importance
of the office of pastor in the church. He is often viewed as the theologian in residence,
which necessitates he teach periodically in a setting beyond the pulpit.
Particularly for the purpose of developing church members into ministry leaders,
the pastor must teach them and train them to become such. That transition will be made
through the personal interaction as the pastor spends time teaching the members to
become ministry leaders.
The greatest teachers of all time was Jesus. Jesus is the master teacher. 17
Jesus taught the disciples, who would become leaders, after he chose them. In essence,
Jesus developed them into ministry leaders. Jesus created not followers, but leaders, as
14
Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament, 69.
15
Everett F. Harrison, A Short Life of Christ (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans,
16
Ibid., 95.
17
Herman Horne, Jesus the Teacher (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1998), 137.
1996), 94.
16
he chose, developed, and mentored his team. 18 Since the pastor should be an “imitator of
God” that is one way that the imitation should be seen, in teaching those who have been
chosen to become ministry leaders.
The Pastor as Preacher
Preaching is an awesome gift that the pastor has at his disposal to challenge and
change the lives of the congregation. Through the preaching of the gospel we have been
brought to faith in Jesus Christ. 19 Specifically, in regard to moving members to become
ministry leaders, the pastor must use preaching because of its persuasive authority. The
preached message should convince and persuade people to come to decisions and to make
commitments. 20 A commitment that should happen among members who are being
developed into ministry leaders is the commitment to be a servant-leader. The preached
word speaks to a whole community, yet by this means hopes to penetrate the heart of each
individual in the community as if alone before God. 21 Utilizing the vehicle of preaching,
the pastor can develop the spiritual life of the member in such a way that he will become
a ministry leader. Preaching should guide God’s people along “the paths of righteousness,”
and this necessarily includes the mandates to both “change how you think” and “change
how you live.” 22 In order to become effective ministry leaders, members must change
how they think and live. The preached word has the ability to lead to such a
transformational life as leader.
18
Kurt Senske, Executive Values: A Christian Approach to Organizational
Leadership (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 2003), 111.
19
1991), 47.
Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity,
20
Joseph Jones, Why We Do What We Do: Christian Worship in the AfricanAmerican Tradition (Nashville: R. H. Boyd, 2006), 89.
128.
21
Oden, Pastoral Theology, 130.
22
Paul Basden, The Worship Maze (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1999),
17
As important as the pastor is to preaching, each member has a personal
responsibility to grow. Even though is it the personal responsibility of all Christians to
grow up into the stature and fullness of Christ, as if there were no preachers, it remains
the responsibility of the pastoral staff to preach as though there were no other way to get
the full truth of the gospel across. 23
The Pastor as Spiritual Caretaker
The pastor has the awesome task of being the spiritual caretaker of the church.
Just as a shepherd is responsible for the total welfare of his sheep, so a pastor is to care
for his people. 24 Caring is a ministry of the church and cannot be understood apart from
the ecclesiology or theology of the church. 25 Caring and nurturing are part of the mission
of God’s church, as that mission unfolds concretely within the church. As such, pastoral
care draws people into God’s story of healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling. 26
The care of souls means the care of the inner life of persons. To be given care of souls
means to be accountable for shepherding the inner life of people through the crises of
emotional conflict and interpersonal pain toward growth in responsiveness toward God. 27
The spiritual life of the members is a very important aspect in developing
members into church leaders. If church members are to be developed into ministry leaders
they must be Spirit-filled. Spiritual leadership requires Spirit-filled people. Other
23
2003), 104.
Harold M. Best, Unceasing Worship (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity,
24
Gene Getz and Joe Wall, Effective Church Growth Strategies (Nashville:
Word, 2000), 86.
25
Edward P. Wimberly, African American Pastoral Care (Nashville:
Abingdon, 1991), 25.
26
Ibid., 27.
27
18
qualities are important; to be Spirit-filled is indispensible. 28 Although often overlooked,
the spiritual life of members who are being developed must be given careful attention to
by the pastor. The spiritual life impacts the very nature of the ministry leader’s capacity
to be effective in leadership. The spiritual life of leaders is exceedingly important to being
good ministry leaders. Thus, the pastor must be engaged in the spiritual care of the
members. The pastor must understand that the whole work of ministry has been called
curaanimarum, “the care of souls.” 29 Therefore, as the pastor gives spiritual direction, he
must stay focused on God and the person he is directing spiritually. 30
The Pastoral Responsibility to Develop Church Members
into Ministry Leaders through Teaching
The Purpose of Teaching
The importance of teaching and learning can never be over emphasized in the
church. Teaching has been defined a number of ways. Elmer Towns writes that teaching
is the “preparation and guidance of learning activities.” 31 Teaching has also been defined
by Lucien E. Coleman as, “helping others to learn.” 32 However one defines teaching, the
fact remains that teaching must be done and it must be done with purpose. Particularly
for the purpose of developing members into church leaders, the pastor must be actively
involved in the teaching role. He is also responsible if the members are going to adequately
make the transition from member to ministry leader. God’s people often have a problem
28
J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 79.
29
30
David Hansen, The Art of Pastoring: Ministry without All the Answers
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1994), 157.
31
Elmer Towns, How to Create and Present High-Impact Bible Studies
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1998), 3.
32
1979), 15.
Lucien E. Coleman, Jr., How to Teach the Bible (Nashville: Broadman,
19
obeying what He teaches. 33 However, if there is going to be growth and development
spiritually, teaching must take place in the lives of those members being trained.
Biblical Models
The teaching of Jesus to the disciples is a model worthy of consideration.
Jesus was intentional about teaching his disciples. He did not leave to chance whether
they would get the correct training needed for their task. Therefore, he spent time with
them in training and preparation to develop them into the ministry leaders that he needed
them to be.
The training paradigm of Jesus and the disciples epitomizes how the pastor
ought to develop the members in the church into ministry leaders. The teacher must know
the teaching situation. Jesus knew His situation. Jesus’ teaching situation involved a
teacher, students, environment, curriculum, aims, and method. 34 Jesus was the teacher
and His students were the disciples. The environment was often the mountains, the
seashore, and numerous other places. The curriculum was the law and the prophets. The
aims were to make them fishers of men, faithful servants, and leaders of the people of God.
The methods that Jesus used were conversations, parables, and object lessons.
Jesus knew the importance of training his disciples. That training was the
foundation of his whole ministry. 35 Jesus spent considerable time teaching His disciples
as in the Sermon on the Mount, or his discourse during the Last Supper, or his forty days
of teaching about the kingdom of God after his resurrection. 36
33
34
Horne, Jesus the Teacher, 11.
35
Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1978), 37.
36
David Watson, Called and Committed: World-Changing Discipleship
(Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw, 1982), 56.
20
Since Jesus’ training of the disciples is the paradigm, it must be important to
the pastor to see that he spends time training and developing the members into ministry
leaders. The disciples were the product of the Lord. They bore his stamp. 37 For this
training to happen effectively, the pastor must spend time with those that he desires to be
developed into ministry leaders. It would seem fitting for the pastor to ensure the he
personally takes the time to share the importance of the Word of God and his heart with
those who will be serving as ministry leaders. Therefore, this biblical model is one that
should be given careful consideration as a model to follow for ministry leadership
development.
Another model of consideration is that of the apostle Paul to Timothy, his son
in the ministry. The apostle Paul was serious about the message that would be delivered
to others. Because of the seriousness of the matter, the apostle Paul was sensitive about
training Timothy in the rudiments of the word of God. Paul wrote, “You therefore, my
son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from
me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to
teach others also” (2 Tim 2:1-2 NASB).
Paul wanted Timothy to “take the gospel and the apostolic instructions.” 38
Paul was very concerned about Timothy knowing the truth of the Word. He spent time
with him to share with him the truth of God’s word. The pastor should adopt the example
of Paul to Timothy in order that truth will be communicated to those who will hear. Paul
charged Timothy to propel faithfully the message he had received. Timothy was not to
be an innovator of religious novelties but was to show loyalty and commitment to the
37
Harrison, A Short Life of Christ, 137.
38
Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians-Philemon, Holman New Testament
Commentary, vol. 9 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000), 280.
21
gospel message. Paul demanded Timothy’s active involvement in the training of a future
generation of Christian servants. 39
The pastor who wants the member being transformed into a ministry leader to
be reproductive must ensure that the ministry leader is properly trained. For that reason,
Paul and Timothy is a model that should be used in training church members to become
ministry leaders. That is what the apostle Paul was doing in the life of young Timothy.
He was teaching him that he would be able to teach others. Paul was Timothy’s chief
teacher of Christ. 40 Paul personally spent time training Timothy giving evidence that the
pastor should personally spend time with the member that is being developed into a
ministry leader.
Another biblical model that should be considered for the pastor as he trains
members to become ministry leaders is that of the apostle Paul to Titus (Titus 2:1). Paul
believed that the lifestyle of Titus should be in line with his message. This also must be
the concern of the pastor that is training members to become ministry leaders. The
lifestyle of the messenger is to be in line with the message that is to be articulated from
the member who has been trained to be a ministry leader.
Paul emphasized the necessity of Titus’s personal role in teaching the young
men by example (Titus 2:7-8). The common expression, “More is caught than taught,”
aptly sums up the power of teaching by personal example. 41 The pastor must be careful
not to overlook the personal role of teaching. Also, being an example of what is being
taught must be priority for the pastoral leader. This is important because this principle
should be communicated to the members be trained as ministry leaders.
39
Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin, Jr., 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, The New
American Commentary, vol. 34 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001), 200.
40
A. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament [CD-ROM] (Oak Harbor,
WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), s.v. “2 Tim 2:2.”
41
Ibid.
22
Unfortunately there are times when the aspect of teaching by example is
overlooked by the pastor. Nevertheless, if the pastor is going to develop members to be
leaders who can lead people, they must impress upon them the importance of living the
Word as well as being able to teach the word and guide followers by the Word. William
Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker suggest,
In his teaching, Titus must show incorruptibility. He must give such clear and
courageous instruction in the well-balanced truth of the gospel that it is evident to
all that he has not been and cannot be infected with the lies and distortions of the
adversaries. Moreover, his attitude and the manner in which he presents his
teaching must be that of dignity or seriousness. Not only must his more formal
teaching be characterized by purity of content and gravity of method, but his entire
speech (his word whenever and wherever it is spoken), whether it is uttered in the
form of a sermon, a lesson, a message of consolation, or even an ordinary daily
conversation, must be sound and incensurable, that is, not open to just rebuke. 42
Paul had in mind outward and observable actions. Followers of Christ are to
demonstrate a changed lifestyle marked by goodness in everything they do. 43 What one
sees has the propensity to affect what one hears. That being the case, the pastor must be
intentional about living what he is teaching. This also must be communicated to the
members while they are being developed into leaders. However, it must not be
communicated so much in speech as it must be in deed. Therefore, the pastor must teach
verbally and visibly.
The Goal of Teaching
The goal of teaching must be clearly defined by the pastor. The goal must be
to develop the church members into ministry leaders. There must be a push to see
members make the transition from being a member to a ministry leader. There should be
visible growth and development of the members as they become ministry leaders. There
42
William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral,
New Testament Commentary, vol. 4 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1957), 367.
43
Larson, I & II Thessalonians-Philemon, 363.
23
should be a different approach to ministry among church members who have had the
opportunity to be taught about being a ministry leader.
The Pastoral Responsibility to Develop Church Members
into Ministry Leaders through Preaching
The development process for members into ministry leaders must not neglect
preaching. Preaching has much value in the transformational process of leadership
development. Preaching is the most powerful tool God has ordained. 44 Preaching has the
power to change mindsets, values, and perspectives. Preaching is cranial and
cardiological; it involves head and heart. 45 Preaching must appeal to both the head and
the heart. 46 According to Robert Smith Jr., the goal of doctrinal preaching is to escort the
listeners “into the presence of God for the purpose of transformation.” 47
Preaching in a broad sense is proclamation; the proclamation of God’s truth by
any and every legitimate means. 48 KƝUXJPD means proclamation of the good news that
Jesus Christ is Lord. 49 Declaring the truth of God in the power of the Holy Spirit is
preaching. 50 One may also define preaching as, a medium of communication and a
conveyance of divine truth to men. 51 Whatever definition one might use for preacher, the
44
1996), 45.
George O. McCalep, Faithful Over a Few Things (Lithonia, GA: Orman,
45
Robert Smith, Jr., Doctrine that Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and
Teaching to Life (Nashville: B & H, 2008), 8.
46
Ibid., 36.
47
Ibid., 25.
48
Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating
Fully in the Body of Christ (Chicago: Moody, 1996), 61.
49
50
Ken Hemphill, The Antioch Effect: 8 Characteristics of Highly Effective
Churches (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994), 46.
51
1982), 102.
Ralph P. Martin, The Worship of God (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans,
24
reality is that preaching is an essential element in the development process of
transforming members into ministry leaders.
The Purpose of Preaching
Preaching should lead to a lifestyle change. The pastor that is preaching in
order to develop church members into ministry leaders must preach in a way applicable
to the lives of those who are listening to the sermon. Preaching changes lives. It is not
enough to merely proclaim, “Christ is the answer”; the preacher must show how Christ is
the answer. 52 Preaching in its fundamental nature addresses the perpetual human pursuit
for authority and meaning. 53 As members are making the shift to become leaders, the
preaching helps them to grasp the true essence of authority and meaning. Having a clear
understanding of that has the propensity to move the members to a place of being
effective ministry leaders. Therefore, preaching must be on purpose to leaders. There
must be intentionality that is evidenced in what is communicated through preaching to
members being developed into leaders.
Throughout church history, all the greatest movements of God in saving people
and strengthening His church have been built upon great, God-anointed preaching. The
work that occurred through the Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli) was a work of God
through preaching. The First Great Awakening through England and the American
Colonies began and was sustained through the preaching of Whitefield, Wesley,
Edwards, Tennent, and others. The Second Great Awakening during the 1800s was
through the preaching of men like Dwight, Finney, and Nettleton. 54 Preaching
52
Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995),
53
Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), 22.
54
Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines, 68.
229.
25
strengthens members as they become leaders, to understand the Word of God and how to
help those that they will be leading to become more efficient.
Biblical Models
Jesus was the greatest preacher that lived on planet earth. Jesus and the
disciples were models of preaching. Jesus and the disciples preached throughout the New
Testament. After thirty years in obscurity and preparation in Nazareth, and forty days of
fasting and temptation, he emerged to begin His ministry. 55 A significant part of Jesus’
ministry with the disciples was that of preaching. Jesus came out of the wilderness after
being tempted and “from that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand’” (Matt 4:17). He preached with the purpose of transforming and
developing those who heard his preaching.
Jesus sent his disciples out to preach. 56 In Matthew 10:7 Jesus commissioned
the twelve and said, “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at
hand.’” 57 Both Jesus and the disciples utilized preaching as a method of training and
development. The fact that Jesus and the disciples were intentional in their preaching for
the purpose of transformation should make preaching all the more valuable for the pastor
in moving members to a place of ministry leadership.
The apostle Paul recognized the importance of preaching and it was the method
he used to impart needed information for training. Paul’s young son in the ministry,
Timothy, was a recipient of that preaching. However, Paul encouraged Timothy to
preach the word to others in order that they may grow as leaders and share the message
accurately with others as he shared it with them. Paul uses ਕțȠȪȦ, to hear, to refer to his
55
Ibid., 62.
56
Ibid., 63.
57
Ibid.
26
apostolic message because that message was so often given in oral preaching and
teaching. 58 That message was often given through preaching which suggests that
preaching should be of priority for the pastor as he shares with members on becoming
ministry leaders.
Considering the importance of transmitting information to others, Paul
instructs Timothy, as would a pastor to members. Frank E. Gaebelein writes that the
deposit that Timothy had received from Paul he was to pass on to “reliable men who will
also be qualified to teach others.” 59 That is precisely what the member who is becoming
ministry leaders must prepare to do, pass on the information deposited in them by the
pastor.
The Goal of Preaching
The goal of preaching is ultimately to transform the lives to those who hear the
word of God. The most powerful and miraculous of the works of God in the world occur
through the preaching of His message. 60 As the pastor preaches the word of God to
members, there should be intentionality in the preaching to develop them as ministry
leaders. The fact that the power for spiritual change resides in God’s Word argues the case
for expository preaching. 61 A goal of preaching is to change people’s lives through the
proclamation of God’s word.
The Biblical Significance of Incorporating
Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual disciplines have long been a part of believers. Spiritual disciplines
58
George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text
(Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans1992), 389.
59
Gaebelein, Ephesians through Philemon, 399.
60
Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines, 67.
61
Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching, 22.
27
were practiced during early biblical times and throughout Christianity.The idea of
incorporating the various disciplines is not a foreign idea to Christians even in
contemporary times.
Spiritual disciplines can be a very strong tool of development for members
who are in the training process of being ministry leaders. Spiritual disciplines can lead to
a healthier and more whole spiritual walk with God. The fact that spiritual leaders need
to have a close relationship with the Lord is important to intentionally develop in the area
of spirituality. The priorities set by pastoral leaders reflect the place given to spiritual
growth. 62 Christians and their leaders must thirst and hunger for God’s pure
righteousness. 63 Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed
opinions about the burning issues of our time. Their leadership must be rooted in the
permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find
there the source for their words, advice, and guidance. 64
What Are Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual disciplines are important to developing one’s spiritual life. When one
discusses spiritual disciplines, the classical spiritual disciplines come to mind such as
prayer, Bible reading, worship, study, fasting retreat, and daily office. 65 Disciplines are
simply practices that train us in faithfulness. 66 The need to be trained in spirituality is
62
Robert D. Dale, Pastoral Leadership (Nashville: Abingdon, 1986), 198.
63
Terriel R. Byrd, I Shall Not Be Moved: Racial Separation in Christian
Worship (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2007), 59.
64
Henri J. M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian
Leadership (New York: Crossroad, 1989), 45.
65
M. Robert Mulholland, Jr., Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual
Formation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1993), 76.
66
Majorie J. Thompson, Soul Feast: An Inspiration to the Christian Spiritual
Life (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1995), xv.
28
important when considering the spiritual development of church members into ministry
leaders. The training process can and should be both formative and informative when
one is being spiritually developed as a leader. A journey from one place to another
requires varied sets of disciplines for successful completion. The Christian journey has
its own sets of disciplines that enable the pilgrim to progress through the stages of the
spiritual path toward wholeness in Christ. 67 The church member that is moving to being
a ministry leader realizes the importance of having a strong spiritual life and must
embrace the spiritual journey to wholeness in Christ. The closer one comes to God, the
closer one comes to each other. 68
The Purpose of Spiritual Disciplines
The spiritual life of the leader is of paramount importance and should be given
much attention and care. As one grows spiritually, it is more evident that the growth takes
place through a process. The crying need today is for people of faith to live faithfully. 69
Spiritual disciplines can help one to live faithfully and live a life more spiritually. The
classical disciplines of the spiritual pilgrimage are the practices that the church has come
to realize are essential for deepening one’s relationship with God, enriching one’s life
with others, and nurturing one toward wholeness in Christ. 70 Ministry leaders need to be
whole in Christ. So as the member that is making the transition from being a mere
member to a ministry leader, the spiritual disciplines can strengthen the lives of those
who have incorporated various disciplines into lives.
67
Mulholland, Invitation to a Journey, 75.
68
John J. Delaney, The Practice of the Presence of God: Brother Lawrence of
the Resurrection (New York: Doubleday, 1977), 3.
69
Richard Foster, The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections
on Money, Sex, and Power (New York: Harper San Francisco, 1985), 1.
70
Mulholland, Invitation to a Journey, 76.
29
The Benefits of Incorporating Spiritual
Disciplines into Daily Life
As the spiritual life of the ministry leader is taken into careful consideration,
one cannot overemphasize the importance of intentionally developing the spiritual life of
the leader. Ministry leaders are presented with many challenging situations that will
require the guidance of God to help them maneuver through, and it will be through an
empowered spiritual relationship with God that one can find the strength to endure.
Many view the word discipline negatively. It is often associated with tyranny,
external restraint, legalism, and bondage. 71 However, that could not be farther from the
truth. When spiritual disciplines are incorporated, one’s life has the propensity to be
different in many ways. Various skills are developed and one’s perspective on life is
enhanced when disciplines are incorporated into one’s daily life. Wisdom is a skill that is
developed through instruction and discipline. The skill of wisdom in the art of living
under the Lord’s dominion frees us to become the people God intended us to be. 72 For
the member who is serious about the development process of moving from membership
to being a ministry leader, there is great spiritual development benefited from the
incorporating of disciplines.
The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting
When one considers the importance of living a spiritually disciplined life, it is
hard not to consider the religious practice of fasting, or abstinence from certain foods for
certain periods of time. 73 Fasting is the external evidence of an inner attitude. The
person who engages in a fast is sacrificing physical nourishment for spiritual
71
Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches
to Spiritual Formation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 77.
72
Ibid.
73
Teresa M. Shaw, The Burden of the Flesh: Fasting and Sexuality in Early
Christianity (Minneapolis: Fortress: 1998), 1.
30
nourishment. The discipline of fasting must not be viewed negatively as some form of
physical punishment, but it must be viewed as the willful sacrificing for the sake of
spiritual strengthening.
The issue for the Christian is self-denial. Ascetic practices strengthen the will
but are useful only as a means of preparation for offering the whole man to God. 74
Reasons one should fast. The leader will need all of the strength that one can
receive from the Lord to lead. The need to develop one’s spiritual life must be taken
seriously. Incorporating the spiritual discipline of fasting can play a very significant role
in the development of one’s spiritual life which should translate into causing one to
become a more spiritually focused leader. Church members who are being developed
into ministry leaders desire to build a stronger relationship with Christ. There will be a
desire for these leaders to practice the discipline of fasting.
Fasting requires a disciplined mind and body. The leader that is going to be
effective in spiritual leadership as a ministry leader must have both a disciplined mind
and body. Therefore, fasting is a discipline that will enhance both mind and body.The
leader is often challenged with various issues and needs to have a mind and body that is
conditioned to be disciplined. When the leader’s mind and body are not sufficiently
cared for, decisions might be made that are detrimental to the ministry the one is leading.
The fact that the flesh and spirit are constantly at war further necessitates the need for the
leader to live the disciplined life through fasting.
The leader that is seeking God’s guidance for direction will find that fasting
will help the leader to become more focused on what it is that the Lord would have them
to do. Fasting has a way of bringing the leader in focus and more sensitive to the Sprit of
God. The reason being is fasting causes the one fasting to depend on the Lord to get
74
Timothy George and Alister McGrath, For All the Saints: Evangelical
Theology and Christian Spirituality (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003), 181.
31
through the fast. Not only will the one fasting become more dependent on the God to get
through the fast, but the one fasting is focus on receiving direction from the Lord during
the fast.
Biblical examples of fasting.There are many biblical examples of fasting.
The New and Old Testament have numerous examples of people who fasted for various
reasons. David fasted when his son was sick in 2 Samuel 12:16-23. Esther fasted before
she told King Xerxes about a plot to devastate the Jews in Esther 4:16. In Nehemiah 1:4
and Daniel 9:3, Nehemiah and Daniel fasted for sins of the people of their nation.
Church leaders fasted to know God’s direction in ministry in Acts 13:2-3 and 14:23. In
Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:1-2, Jesus fasted before he began his ministry. These and so
many other examples of fasting should be encouragement to every leader that there is a
need to fast.
The Spiritual Discipline of Prayer
One of the greatest tools at the disposal of every leader is prayer. Every
believer and ministry leader should practice the discipline of prayer. Perhaps most
believers find it natural and easy to speak to God. 75 Prayer is simply talking to God. In
prayer, all of one’s deepest beliefs about God and one’s self and the meaning of life,
come into play. 76 No leader can afford not to pray if there is any expectation of success
in leadership. Leadership carries with it great suffering, so the leader must pray in order
to handle all that comes with being in leadership. The spiritual leader should outpace the
rest of the church, above all, in prayer. 77 The one person who must be in continuous
prayer is the leader. The prayer life of a leader is a never-ending developmental process.
75
1997), 129.
Kathyrn Lindskoog, C. S. Lewis: Mere Christianity (Chicago: Cornerstone,
76
Fisher Humphreys, Thinking about God (New Orleans: Insight, 1974), 183.
77
J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 85.
32
The leader should always be growing in his prayer life in order to grow closer to God.
To move people, the leader must be able to move with God, for God has made
it clear that He moves people in response to prayer. In prayer we deal directly with God
and only in a secondary sense other people. The goal of prayer is the ear of God. 78 As
the leader engages in prayer, he must realize that prayer must be constant, daily, not
reserved for times of crisis. Also, prayer must be intense, bold, done with complete
concentration and confidence. 79
Biblical Models of Fasting and Praying
Many great leaders have recognized the need and the importance of fasting and
praying through the annals of time. Early biblical characters practiced fasting and
praying for strength and guidance for God. The incorporation of the spiritual disciplines
of fasting and praying are not contemporary ideas, but they were practiced in antiquity.
Jehoshaphat sought the Lord through fasting and praying for spiritual guidance.
Jehoshaphat was warned of an invading army from the direction of Transjordan, a
coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites. 80 J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck write,
Jehoshaphat’s first response was fear, an appropriate response in the circumstances.
Jehoshaphat’s second response was (literally) to ‘give his face to seek Yahweh.’In
this emergency situation Judah expressed their serious need for divine help by
fasting.This situation prompted the king to proclaim a national fast(perhaps to show
the people’s sincerity) and to seekGod. 81
It is evident that prayer and fasting are beneficial spiritual disciplines that can
be relied on when the leader is faced with difficult situations. The ministry leader that
78
Ibid., 91.
79
Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, The Gospel of Good Success (New York: Simon &
Schuster, 1999), 153.
80
J. A. Thompson, 1, 2 Chronicles,The New American Commentary, vol. 9
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001), 292-93.
81
J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An
Exposition of the Scriptures [CD-ROM] (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1983), s.v. “2 Chr 20:3–
12.”
33
faces adversity, as one will in leadership, must be aware of the benefits of seeking God
through fasting and prayer.
Esther showed resolve as a leader as well as through fasting and praying.
Esther showed something unique as a spiritual leader by using fasting and praying as a
means to strengthen her people spiritually and unify them together with one another. In
Esther 4:15-17, the writer shows how Esther employed fasting and praying as a means of
spiritual guidance from God for her leadership. Mervin Breneman writes,
Esther felt identified with her people. She now looked to them for spiritual support.
‘And fast for me’ implies prayer and fasting. This suggests that Esther had a
genuine faith in God. By her request for fasting (and certainly prayer is assumed),
Esther showed that she needed the support of others and recognized the need for
God’s intervention. Even she and her maids would fast as well. This meant she
would share her faith with these maids. Esther believed God answers prayer. Such
prayer changes situations; in fact, it is one of the chief instruments God uses to
change history. 82
The ultimate example of fasting and praying is seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus
engaged in fasting and praying as a means to handle his crisis as a leader. As one well
knows, leaders are not without temptation and troubles. Jesus faced temptation
immediately following a significant moment in his life, after his baptism. Spiritual
leaders are often tempted after a major success, but Jesus exhibits how one ought to
handle such a situation, through fasting and praying (Matt 4:2). Nevertheless, through
this example of Jesus, the leader needs to know that the Devil will attempt to use what
one engages in for spiritual strength as a tool to lead the leader away from God. Here the
devil uses the result of Jesus’ fasting, hunger, as an entrée for his temptations. 83
82
Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, The New American
Commentary, vol. 10 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001), 337.
83
Craig Blomberg, Matthew, The New American Commentary, vol. 22
34
CHAPTER 3
EVALUATING AND IMPLEMENTING PRACTICAL
CONCEPTS FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Chapter 3 will focus on various pragmatic concepts that should be incorporated
in developing leaders. Chapter 1 introduced the necessity of having leadership training in
the church to develop those church members that would eventually become ministry
leaders in the church. Chapter 2 focused on the theological and biblical precedents that
support leadership training and development.
This chapter will be intentional in assessing how church members who are
being developed into ministry leaders can put into practice effective leadership concepts
and strategies. The intent will be to help leaders become more efficient as leaders by
utilize practical ideas to connect with those they serve.
Being an Effective Leader in Ministry
Being a leader is important within itself. A leader is a person with followers. A
leader is someone who influences other people and can organize them for a given purpose. 1
But, being an effective leader is even more important. Leadership ability determines a
person’s level of effectiveness. One’s leadership ability—for better or for worse—always
determines the leader’s effectiveness and the potential impact of one’s organization. 2
Ministry leaders need to understand that being an effective leader has strong implications
1
Robert C. Linthicum, Building A People of Power: Equipping Churches to
Transform Their Communities (Waynesboro, GA: Authentic Media, 2006), 175.
2
John C. Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (Nashville: Thomas
Nelson, 1998), 1.
35
for the church. The more effective the leader is the more effective the church ministry
will potentially be.
The strength of leadership is of paramount importance if an organization is
going to move progressively forward. Thus, leaders must focus on being as effective in the
role as possible. The concept is seemingly taken more serious in secular organizations
than religious organizations. The 2010-2011 season of the NFL experienced a number of
challenges. During that season, a number of high profile teams’ coaches were fired, and
some high profile players were traded around or retired. However, one storyline was quite
intriguing. ESPN ran a story about the owner of the Tennessee Titans football team, Bud
Adams. Adams, along with the Titans organization decided to part ways with their head
coach of seventeen years, Jeff Fisher. It was announced in January 2011 that Fisher would
not be returning as head coach for the 2011-2012 season, nor would the quarterback, Vince
Young. The situation highlights the fact that organizations often make leadership changes
when there is trouble. 3 The trouble for the Titans was that there were problems in the
leadership organization. The quarterback, Vince Young, did not want to follow his leader,
the coach. However, the owner, Bud Adams did not decisively stand with the team
leader, Jeff Fisher. Therefore, the lack of definitive leadership decisions left the
organization in disarray.
The church can learn a great deal from what happens in secular organizations
regarding leadership. When effectiveness is no longer present, the church must understand
that a change is needed also. Often in the church, leaders are retained even when there
are no visible signs of effectiveness. Even if there is some effectiveness, but it is not at
the level that it once was or should be, change should be given careful consideration.
Church members who are in leadership positions have a tendency to sometimes
stay in a leadership role longer than they should. When that happens, the ministry that
3
Ibid., 8.
36
they are leading may suffer from ineffective leadership. African-American churches are
sometimes faced with this issue from a pastoral leadership perspective. Many AfricanAmerican pastors tend to have long tenures. In some instances, it is not always best for
the church. It is not problematic in all long tenures, but there are some in which it can be
detrimental to the health of the church. The church may experience significant decline in
these situations. There are other aspects that can be affected adversely by the leader
staying too long and becoming ineffective. However, the same problem is often seen
when individuals stay in a position within a ministry in a church too long. They may
make the ministry stagnate and cause the ministry to become ineffective and sometimes
even inactive.
Persons who are aspiring for leadership or who are in training to become
ministry leaders should be careful to take note of the ineffectiveness one can have as a
leader when they stay in a position too long. Not only does the leader tend to lose
effectiveness but the leader’s influence is affected.
The Leader’s Influence
Leaders must have influence. If one does not have influence one will never be
able to lead others. 4 The ability to influence others is undoubtedly a pivotal requirement
for leadership. 5 Church members that expect to make an impact on the people that they
are leading must have the ability to influence them. If a leader cannot influence the
follower, he will never be able to move the ministry forward. Colin Powell once said,
“You have achieved excellence as a leader when people will follow you everywhere if
only out of curiosity.” 6 The church that is developing ministry leaders must have the
4
Ibid., 11.
5
Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership (Nashville: B &
H, 2001), 147.
6
Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, 13.
37
kind of leaders that can move people. The ministry leader that the church needs is one
that crafts strategy, builds structure, and measures success, not in terms of size of
programming, but in terms of authentic witness, influence, and impact in the community
at large. 7 When the leader understands this aspect of influence, the church and its
members will benefit from his leadership ability.
Influence cannot be underestimated. It is imperative that there is a proper
understanding of influence by the leader. The leader can be an asset to the church if he
uses his influence positively. Leaders are needed to equip the saints and build up the body.
Rather than having the church members assist the leader to do the work of ministry,
leaders are assistants to the rest of the body to empower the church members for their
service in church and world. 8 The ability to empower church members is predicated upon
how much influence one has over the members. Positive influence of a leader will be
reciprocated by a positive following from the members.
The church being a volunteer organization can seem to put the leader at a
disadvantage. The church leader has nothing to leverage to get a person to truly follow
them other than influence. Unlike a supervisor on a job, the church leader may not have
a salary to take away if others will not follow. A coach could remove the player from the
team. The professor has the ability to fail a student. The leader in the church has nothing
to take away necessarily as a means of forcing someone to follow. Therefore, the
challenge for the leader is to try to be as influential as possible and receive followers
through influence.
The pastor that has the leadership prowess to influence people can get more
done than the supervisor who is imposing his will based upon title or position. The
7
Robert Lewis and Rob Wilkins, The Church of Irresistible Influence (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 177.
8
R. Paul Stevens, The Other Six Days: Vocation, Work, and Ministry in
Biblical Perspective (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1999), 149.
38
ministry leader who is in a position of leading other people within the church needs to
understand this aspect of leadership in order to accomplish the task that might be set
before them. The ministry leader who realizes that little is achieved when there is an
imposing of will to make an individual follow their leadership will potentially get more
cooperation from others. Although, some things in ministry may get done, the question
of how effectively was it done is the question when the leader imposes his will rather
than get others to follow through compassionate and strategic leadership.
The leader who desires to be influential must take time to understand how one
influences others. Influencing others also means that one must be intentional about
building relationships. Good leaders are not afraid to build relationships. Relationships
at a secure level validate leaders and help them to become more comfortable with who
they are as leaders and keep them grounded as a leader. 9 As the leader is comfortable
with who they are, others around them will recognize this. When those following and
who are in relationship with the leader recognize this, the leader will potentially see the
impact of his influence.
Associated with influence is reputation. If the leader’s reputation is in question,
it will be difficult to influence followers and would-be followers. It is dangerous to the
leader’s influence if he does not guard his reputation. Therefore, decisions should be
well planned and well thought out. The friends and associates the leader chooses to
embrace must be carefully considered. In essence, poor decisions have the potential to
affect the leader’s level of influence. To be clear, this is not suggestive that good leaders
will not make errors in decision-making, however, the leader who is concerned about his
level of influence will be watchful and not make brash decisions.
The ministry leader in the local church must be cautious in making decisions in
9
223.
John C. Maxwell, Talent is Never Enough (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007),
39
order not to compromise his influence, particularly in the church where there is multi-level
staffing and leadership is expected from the laity. Those leaders are often given a great
deal of responsibility as a leader and having the ability to influence those that they are
leading has very positive implications for the entire church.
The Benefit of Effective Communication as a Leader
Sitting in front of the television on Sunday afternoon watching NFL football can
change one’s perspective of leadership. Without question, communication must be at its
zenith if a team is going to have any possible chance of winning a game. Communication
is at work throughout the game; players communicating with players, coaches with
coaches, officials with officials, and the list could continue. However, it is not just
communication that is important. It is whether the communication is effective. The
coordinator communicates from the press box a play based upon what he sees, to the coach
on the sideline. The coach sends the play into the game. The quarterback gets the play,
but sees something disturbing in the defensive scheme and calls an audible and changes
the play. The audible must be called in the midst of the crowd noise as there is also a
race against time. The changed play results in a touchdown and the touchdown is the
result of effective communication by the leader.
The church member that is being developed into a ministry leader must not
underestimate nor devalue the benefit of effective communication. The leader must take
the importance and value of effective communication seriously. The leader has the
responsibility of moving the team or ministry forward and must be able to communicate
effectively.
Only with good communication can a team succeed—it does not matter whether
that team is a family, company, ministry, or ball club. 10 However, the leader must have
10
John C. Maxwell, The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork (Nashville: Nelson
Business, 2001), 197.
40
the respect of the people before they will listen to what they have to say. People listen to
what someone has to say not necessarily because of the truths being communicated in a
message, but because of their respect for the speaker. 11 So, the quarterback that
communicates to the players has to communicate effectively, but he must also have the
respect of those that he is communicating to in order for them to listen.
The leader that understands effective communication realizes that it is important
to talk to people. Leadership rises and falls on communication. The leader must be able
to communicate with others. 12 The leader must communicate with those that are following
him. The communication must be consistent, clear, and courteous. 13
Consistently interacting with the people that one is leading is critical. As pastor,
I meet with my staff weekly because I value the importance of consistently conversing with
them. Many times there is not a lot that needs to be discussed, but consistently talking to
my staff is beneficial in that they know that there is an open line of communication.
Having a clear message is important as a leader. The leader that dialogues regularly with
his followers must try to avoid ambiguity. The leader’s message should be clear and
concise. It is not necessary for the leader to try and impress with immense words in order
to get them to listen. The key to successful communication is clarity, not verbosity. 14
People normally appreciate simplicity and clarity. Also, the leader should be courteous
when talking and discussing various ideas and perspectives. People are more likely to
listen when they are shown respect. The spiritual leader must have the right attitude and
heart to converse courteously.
The key to effective communication is the presence of the Holy Spirit working
11
12
Maxwell, The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, 201.
13
Ibid., 202.
14
Blackaby and Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership, 159.
41
in the leader’s life. 15 The Holy Spirit has the ability to empower the leader to use the
right words for the right moments. The Holy Spirit can do this when the leader submits
to Him. The Holy Spirit must not be underestimated in His significance for aiding the
leader in being able to talk to others with proper speech.
There is no real excuse for leaders of today, in 2011, not to be able to
communicate. The advances in technology have made it so much easier. There are many
technology gadgets available such as the Apple iPad, smart phones like the Blackberry,
Android, Apple iPhone and many others. Those gadgets are equipped in order that one
can communicate by text message, email, and social media such as Facebook, Twitter.
Technology provides numerous forums for communication, many of them
instantaneous and easily accessible. Nevertheless, nothing is as impactful as a face-toface encounter. 16 Effective communication is essential to rallying supporters. 17
A Trustworthy Leader
Trust is both a joy of relationships and a necessary component. If one does not
have trust, one does not have much of a relationship. 18 The leader must be trustworthy.
Trust is the foundation of leadership. To build trust, a leader must demonstrate these
qualities: competence, connection, and character. 19 His followers usually trust the
competent leader because they believe the leader knows where he is going and how to get
the followers to a destination. The leader’s position must be clear. People tend to trust
15
Ibid., 161.
16
Ibid., 163.
17
Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus, Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge (New
York: HarperCollins, 2007), 34.
18
Maxwell, Talent is Never Enough, 225.
19
42
leaders when they know where the leader stands in relation to the organization and how
they as a leader position the organization relative to the environment. 20
Being a competent leader does not mean that the leader will not make bad
decisions and make mistakes. However, people are apt to forgive their leader because of
their trust in him and his leadership. It must be understood by leaders that good leaders
do not always make the right decisions but they try to make the best decisions with the
organization in mind. As godly as some pastors may be, they do not always make the
right decisions. So ministry leaders will not always make the right decisions. It does not
mean that the leader is intentionally making the wrong decision, but the leader is human.
Therefore, trust in the leader ought not to be lost if a wrong decision is made from the
heart of a genuine leader.
Trust is more than just trusting an individual’s ability or competence as a
leader. Trust happens when the individual himself is found to be trustworthy. Thus, the
leader has to work to earn people’s trust. After trust is earned, one must work hard to
keep that level of trust. People will trust a leader even if he errs in his leadership,
particularly when there is evidence of continued growth. But they will not trust someone
who slips in character. 21
It is without question the ministry leader has an awesome responsibility in
being a trustworthy leader. Trust cannot be achieved overnight. Trust is built slowly and
reinforced over time. 22 Trust implies accountability, predictability, and reliability. Trust
is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work. The truth is that we
20
Bennis and Nanus, Leaders, 143.
21
22
Phillip V. Lewis, Transformational Leadership: A New Model for Total
Church Involvement (Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 1996), 217.
43
trust people who are predictable, whose positions are known and who keep at it; leaders
who are trusted make themselves known, make their positions clear. 23
The trustworthy leader must have the right connection as a leader with the
people in which he is serving. Having the ability to work with people helps the leader
who is seeking to build trust among the people that he is serving. Ministry leaders within
the church must guard against being part of a clique, but most focus on connecting with
the wider group to ensure that trust is forged throughout his context of ministry.
Character has great relevancy in developing trust for the leader. Having positive
character traits in various areas of light will strengthen the leader’s trust among those
whom he serves. Integrity, motives, consistency in behavior, openness, and discretion
are key factors for the leader who is seeking to be trusted. 24
The leader that is trustworthy must be careful to ensure that he maintains a high
level of integrity both in his personal life and his life as a leader. Honesty in all situations
helps the leader maintain significant trust among people. However, if it is betrayed it can
be very damaging to the leader. When the leader is consistently the same in behavior and
maintains openness and confidentiality, the leader is viewed as being trustworthy. Leaders
generate and sustain trust by demonstrating constancy, congruity, reliability, and
integrity. 25 Trust is the emotional glue that binds followers and leaders together. The
accumulation of trust is a measure of the legitimacy of leadership. 26
Staying Connected
It is important that the leader recognize the benefits of being connected with
23
24
Lewis, Transformational Leadership, 216.
25
Ibid., 215.
26
44
people as a leader. Leadership is a transaction, a transaction between leaders and
followers. Neither could exist without the other. 27 The leader has to be connected to the
followers because they are who make him the leader. He cannot be a leader if there is no
one following. Effective leaders are always on the lookout for good people. 28 Good
leaders know that one secret to success is to staff their weakness. 29 The leader that is
intentional about being effective will be intentional in his connection.
Connecting with the right individuals is important for any good leader. The
right person around a leader is an asset to the leader. However, the wrong person around
a leader is a liability. Every good leader realizes the significance of having good people
around them. The belief the one person can do something great is a myth. Nothing of
significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone. 30 Therefore, the leader
does well to connect with the right people. Many people mistakenly minimize the impact
that other people can have on their lives. 31 The impact can be either positive or negative.
However, there will be an impact when other people are connected to the leader. When a
leader has done the work to connect with his people, one can see it in the way the
organization functions. 32 Thus, the leader must be very cognizant of who he allows into
his inner circle. Every leader’s potential is determined by the people closest to him. 33
27
Ibid., 30.
28
29
Ibid., 93.
30
31
32
33
Ibid., 110.
45
Developing Followers
One of the strong suits of a good leader is the ability to develop followers.
However, a leader must earn a following. 34 Followers must be made to believe that they
are part of a team. 35 When followers are challenged to be a part of what is going on, it
lessens the burden for the leader. It is beneficial for the leader to develop followers in
that it lessens the load of burden for the leader. The benefit for the follower is that he
does not fell useless and it guards against lethargy as a follower.
The leader that develops followers must make sure accountability mechanisms
are in place. Real leaders make followers accountable for the tasks they delegate. 36
Followers need to be nurtured by the leader but also taught responsibility. The follower
must understand that being a follower is as important as being a leader. The truth is that
everyone is important, but everyone is not equal. 37 If everyone were equal in a group,
there would be no need to have a leader. The person with greater experience, skill, and
productivity in a given area is more important to the team in that area. 38 It is important
for followers to know that the leader has a role and responsibility but they as followers do
too. Great followers are those who are faithful in dispatching their lowly responsibilities. 39
Developing Leaders
Developing leaders is difficult because potential leaders are harder to find and
34
Charles A. Tidwell, Church Administration: Effective Leadership for
Ministry (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1985), 202.
35
Calvin Miller, The Empowered Leader: 10 Keys to Servant Leadership
36
Miller, The Empowered Leader, 161.
37
38
Ibid., 218.
39
Miller, The Empowered Leader, 165.
46
attract. It takes time, energy, and resources to develop leaders. 40 Persons who have the
capacity to follow normally prove to be strong leaders. Strong leaders spend time
developing followers into leaders. The highly effective leader understands the importance
of creating a strong group of people around him to strengthen his leadership. Thus the
leader empowers those in his inner circle. Although some in the inner circle may be
leaders, they are still followers of the leader. When a leader cannot or will not empower
others, he creates barriers within the organization that people cannot overcome. 41 When
these barriers are in place, people have a tendency to disengage from the leader and
eventually disconnect from the organization.
The leader in the church who is serving in the capacity of a ministry leader must
ensure that the people in his inner circle feel empowered to lead in order for them to be
effective and the organization to benefit from leadership. I recall this as very important as
pastor of the church I serve. Having a significant number of full-time staff, I have learned
the importance of empowering those who are a part of an inner circle. Giving those
individuals the liberty to lead has proven to be very beneficial for the church. Not only are
the leaders more inclined to serve and be creative in leadership, but those they are serving
have greater respect for the entire leadership of the church. Therefore, the whole
organization has won and is the beneficiary of the leaders’ work. Also, as pastor I was
able to be connected with my leaders and the larger body of followers.
The Prioritizing Leader
Leaders never grow to a point where they no longer need to prioritize. 42 The
effective leader must make sure that those things, which are of paramount importance to his
40
41
Ibid., 126.
42
Ibid., 175.
47
leadership, remain important. As a leader, I am intentional about spending time with my
family. I make them a priority as a part of my leadership. As I plan my week, I plan time
to spend with my family. I take my daughter to ballet and gymnastics practice and I spend
time going out to dinner with my wife. Those are things that I make priority as a leader.
Specifically, the ministry leader within in the church must keep his priorities in
perspective. It can be easy to get sidetracked because other things will always be vying
for the leaders’ attention. There will always be things that someone wants done by the
leader. There will be places that someone wants the leader to be. However, the leader
has to prioritize in order to keep his sanity and maintain effectiveness.
It is important for leaders to realize they are surrounded by other people’s
agenda. Wise leaders realize there is no way they can satisfy the desires of all the people
who clamor for their time. Astute leaders determine to invest themselves in those
activities and projects most important for them to accomplish. 43 Thus, the leader has to
maintain focus. Focus can bring tremendous power. Without it, one will often feel
drained and unable to accomplish much. With it, one will find that their talents and
abilities gain direction and intentionality. 44
The ministry leader must not lose focus and misplace his priorities. The
ministry that he leads and his followers will gravely suffer. Many churches and ministries
are severely suffering because leaders have misplaced their priorities and have failed to
keep their priorities in perspective. The leader must take great care in staying focused in
order to achieve the goals and objectives that are of importance to the ministry and for the
glory of God.
43
44
48
The Leader and Sacrifice
Every leader is aware that along with being a leader there is great sacrifice. The
true nature of leadership is sacrifice. One has to give up to go up. 45 The leader must be
always willing to give up something for the good of the organization. Great leaders realize
that with leadership there will be times of great sacrifice. There can be no success without
sacrifice. 46 The truth of the matter is that it costs something to be a leader. It costs time,
it costs energy, and it costs treasure just to name a few things to be a leader. Any person
not willing to sacrifice is not ready to be a leader. There is no success without sacrifice. 47
There are those who desire to be leaders because they feel that at that point on
they are exempt from sacrifice. However, a leadership position does not provide immunity
from sacrifice; rather, it often provides occasions for an even greater effort. 48 Often times,
the leader has to make the greatest sacrifices and the depth of the sacrifice is unknown to
the followers. In making sacrifices as a leader, it is not whether the sacrifice is known by
the followers but that follower benefit from the sacrifice. A willingness to sacrifice gives
leaders much more authority with their people than does their position in the
organization. 49 When followers see the leader’s sacrifice they often have incentive to
sacrifice. Also, followers seemingly are more inclined to follow the leader. It resonates
with people that the leader is more concerned about the good of the organization than
themselves. Ministry leaders who desire to exemplify strong leadership will make
significant sacrifices for the ministry.
Ministry leaders need to realize that sacrifice is not a one-time catchall-type
45
46
47
48
49
Ibid., 155.
49
situation. As long as the leader is in his position, he will always be making sacrifices.
The greater the leader, the more he must give up. 50 There will be different sacrifices at
different times for various reasons. However, the leader is not bothered by making
sacrifices when the sacrifices are for the benefit of the organization and its followers. In
fact, there will be times when great joy is associated with great sacrifice. Sacrifice
usually brings reward and fulfillment for the leader.
The Leader and Timing
Any leader who understands decision-making, strategy, planning, and
leadership in general, understands the importance of timing. Timing personified can be
the friend or enemy of a leader. Every leader has it, but it is how the leader uses it that
makes timing so significant.
John C. Maxwell points out four outcomes regarding timing that are significant
in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Maxwell writes,
The wrong action at the wrong time leads to disaster. A leader who takes the wrong
action at the wrong time is sure to suffer negative repercussions. Secondly, the right
action at the wrong time brings resistance. It’s one thing to figure out what needs to
be done; it’s another to understand when to make a move. Thirdly, the wrong action
at the right time is a mistake. Finally, the right action at the right time results in
success. When leaders do the right things at the right time, success is almost
inevitable. When the right leader and the right time come together, incredible things
happen. 51
The concept of timing is a concept that many sports teams gravitated to long
ago. Many teams patiently wait for the right time to get the right people. In 2011 the NBA
team Miami Heat acquired Chris Bosh and LeBron James to join forces with Dewayne
Wade. The acquisition of those two led to the three-man tandem being known as the big
three. The timing was right and the people were right for the moment. In their first year
playing together as a team, they lead their team to the NBA Finals. Although they lost, it
50
51
Ibid., 197.
50
was evident that those three players were right for the team, the organization, the city,
and the entire NBA.
The church must take advantage of timing as well. I recently became the pastor
of a new congregation. The concept of timing seemed to be a very significant factor.
There were many great candidates that were considered. However, it seemed to have
worked out that the right place, the right time, and right person came together. The growth
and development have just seemingly come together. Also, the cohesiveness among the
leadership has fallen into place. People who were once indifferent towards the former
leader have embraced the direction of the church’s ministry.
Ministry leaders must be sensitive to the right time and take advantage of the
moment. The leader who is trying to move a ministry plan forward must consistently be
sensitive to the time. The leader must ensure that the right people are in place, the right
planning has occurred for the ministry, and the right moment avails itself for the ministry
move. Thus, the leader has to focus on staying on God’s agenda and moving as God
directs. The leader must seek to know God’s will for his life. When the leader seeks to
know God’s will the leader is more apt to move at the right time.
Future Leaders
One of the strengths of a great leader is that he prepares the person who will take
his place. Rather than leaving a mess for future generations to sort through and clean up
a great leader wants to create blueprints and build paradigms as solid foundations for
future success. Great leaders that have a genuine love for the organization desire to see
the organization to go beyond his time. He wants to leave a lasting legacy. John C.
Maxwell writes in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,
Achievement comes to someone when he is able to do great things for himself.
Success comes when he empowers followers to do great things with him.
Significance comes when he develops leaders to do great things for him. But a
51
legacy is created only when a person puts his organization into the position to do
great things without him. 52
Ministry leaders must take the approach of developing leaders that will carry
the ministry onward even in their absence. Seeing that every believer realizes that the
tenure of leadership is only for a season, there should be a move to develop leaders who
can take the place of the leader when they are no longer in the respective role of leadership.
Leaders that believe in creating a legacy of leadership for the future are leaders who will
not leave the organization once they are no longer in leadership. Particularly in the
church, the leader that has moved on and has a heart of love for the ministry will maintain
a connection to the ministry to be a supporter of the new leader.
The danger of a leader staying close to the ministry is that some will still seek
the former leader for direction. Also, there are those leaders who cannot handle the fact
that they are no longer the leader and can be a problem for the new leader. Nevertheless,
the leader that has lead effectively and efficiently will prepare someone to lead the
organization to higher heights.
52
Ibid., 221.
52
CHAPTER 4
PROJECT DESIGN
At the commencement of this project, it was my goal to select and train church
members to become ministry leaders. Then the ministry leaders would become an essential
part of the leadership of the New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Subsequent to training, the group of ministry leaders would assist in various leadership
roles of the church. In the roles the leaders would train members to become stronger lay
leaders and lay followers within the New Mount Olive Baptist Church ministries. It is
the conviction that the effective leader is one who has gone through significant training
and development for ministry leadership. Church members must be trained through
biblical and practical methods to ensure that they will be strong leaders within the church.
The rigorous training is a prerequisite for each church member that desires to be in
leadership of any ministry of the church.
It is without question that the pastor has a multiplicity of responsibilities in
preaching, teaching, and administration to name a few and that there must be other trained
leaders in place to assist with leadership duties. The pastor must take the initiative to
train and develop church members to become leaders for the various areas of ministry
leadership. The Bible emphatically teaches this principle for increase and advancement
within the church. Paul wrote, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets,
and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints
for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12). The
pastor must also equip the members for the leadership roles within the church.
53
Focus Group Selection
In order to execute the plan 20 persons were chosen as the focus group. This
focus group consisted of various members from within the congregation. The group
included 6 deacons, 6 deaconesses, 2 staff ministers, and 6 ministry coordinators. This
group was comprised of individuals who exhibited a desire to know more about ministry
leadership and articulated a genuine concern regarding helping lead the church further in
Christian ministry.
A fifteen-week course of training was designed and implemented to expose the
group to information concerning ministry leadership. The information disseminated
through various formats, which allowed them to recognize the need for pastoral training
of leaders, the incorporation of spiritual gifts as leaders, and pragmatic approaches for
effective ministry leadership. To quantify the efficiency of the endeavors in the training
and development of the participants, an instrument was created to measure variations
within the individuals if any were to occur during the process. At the initiation of the
training and development a pre-test questionnaire was administered and at the end a posttest questionnaire was administered to the group.
Distributing the Pre-Test to the Focus Group
On Wednesday February 9, 2011, I met with the focus group during the regular
mid-week Bible study. The reason for this meeting was to give the pre-test. After the
pre-test was taken by the focus group a discussion was held about the questions.
Included in the pre-test were a number of questions for the purpose of gaining
insight regarding the participants within the focus group (see Appendix 1). The questions
consisted of information about gender, age, education, membership length, and leadership
tenure. There were also questions designed to assist the focus group in becoming aware
of what they believed to be important for leadership training and development. In
addition, questions to assess spirituality and its importance in leadership development and
training for members were included.
54
A number of the questions were designed to guide the focus group to become
more aware of the necessity of having leaders trained and developed by the pastor and
have a strong spiritual foundation as a ministry leader. Some of the questions were
presented to direct the focus group’s attention on the significance of pragmatic concepts
of leadership.
The pre-test lasted for an hour. After the completion of the test the focus group
spent some time dialoguing and discussing the various questions that were administered
to them. This process took 30-45 minutes to complete. The group was very enthusiastic
and ecstatic about what was happening amongst them. There was a sense of excitement
about what would follow in the subsequent training sessions in the next few weeks. All
of the members of the focus group raved over what they felt would transform them into
real ministry leaders as a result of the pre-test questions and the training seminars to come.
There was discussion during this time that centered on giving the group a
perspective of what the upcoming seminars’ focal points would be. Also, there was
discussion on the format of the various seminars for the upcoming weeks.
Pastoral Training Seminars
Seminar 1
The first seminar of the focus group was a teaching seminar that concentrated
on guiding the understanding of the group in regard to leadership based on 2 Timothy
2:1-2. During this seminar attention was given to explaining the significance of the
pastor playing a key role in the training and development process of members into
ministry leaders. It was vitally important to share with the group why the pastor was
teaching the seminars and personally being involved and having a hands-on approach.
There was also discussion of the biblical precedent for the pastor to be intentional in the
development process of training members to become spiritual leaders. The biblical
passage written by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:11-12 was also reviewed. During this
55
phase of the seminar, which lasted approximated 20 minutes, the training focused on the
biblical mandate of the pastor to equip the members for ministry.
The first objective in this seminar was to spend time defining who the pastor is
to the church and members. Even though it seemed a bit simplistic, it was discovered
during this seminar that because of the various names that the Christian minister is
referred too, clarification proved to be quite helpful to the group.
The second objective was to define the role of the pastor. It was of paramount
importance to the group to clearly define the pastor’s role if there would be an
understanding as to why he was an important factor in training members for ministry
leadership. In order to help the members understand their impact as leaders, it was also
important for them to know why the pastor’s role is a key to them being strong ministry
leaders and having the right message; as the ministry leaders share their message to those
they serve, they will often be communicating the message that has been delivered to them
by the pastor. Additionally, as the ministry leaders realize the role of the pastor they can
better understand their roles. In this seminar insight was given about how the pastor is a
shepherd. The importance of this aspect was so that the members who were being
developed into ministry leaders would understand that as they lead people they must care
for them even when delivering various messages to them. The entire seminar lasted for
approximately 60 minutes.
Seminar 2
The second seminar was delivered in a setting where preaching took place.
The focus was to share with the group through a sermon the importance of the pastor
playing a major role in the training of members for ministry leadership. The sermon for
this seminar was also based upon the text written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy in 2
Timothy 2:1-2. The sermon was entitled “The Message and the Ministry Leader.”
The first objective in this seminar was to preach for transformation. The
format between the various seminars was to be preaching and teaching. Therefore, this
56
seminar used preaching to lead the members to a point of transformation. The sermon
centered upon building a relationship. As Paul spoke to Timothy in the text, it was a
significant fact that Timothy trusted Paul and they had a relationship. Paul wanted
Timothy to share a relevant message with other faithful followers. The purpose for the
ministry leaders was that they understood the value of having a relationship with the
people they would serve, as ministry leaders in ministry. It would prove to be significant
that the ministry leaders ensured the depth of their relationship with followers was such
that the right spiritual messages would be carried further to other believers.
The second objective of the preaching seminar was to instruct leaders on the
benefits of forged relationships with the people that they would serve. Paul was
intentional in his relationship with Timothy and ministry leaders must be intentional in
their relationships with those they are privileged to serve. As the message was preached
the focus was very apparent in how Timothy would share a message with faithful men
that would have the ability to teach others. The point of the sermon was to enhance the
members being transformed into ministry leaders the invaluable benefit of having others
that follow that are in a genuine relationship with the leader to produce positive results
from those followers. This would ultimately impact the church ministry in the most
positive manner.
Seminar 3
This was a teaching seminar focused upon the function of the pastor as teacher
and as preacher. The seminar further emphasized the responsibility of the pastor to be a
teacher to the members for the purpose of developing them into ministry leaders. As Paul
wrote in 2 Timothy 2:1-2, it was evident that he was teaching Timothy in order that
Timothy could teach others.
The first objective of this seminar was to inform the members of the value of
the pastor teaching them. The pastor teaching them was geared to help them to realize
that the pastor had a genuine concern that correct information would be passed to various
57
members of the ministry because the leader would instruct the leaders first and those
leaders would instruct the people.
The members that would be strong leaders are those who would have the
pastor’s heart and know how to communicate that in a teaching or training moment. In
order for the leaders to have the pastor’s heart and know his message to carry to others,
the pastor has to spend time teaching those who were intended to be developed in to
ministry leaders.
The second objective of the seminar was to put into perspective the importance
of the pastor as preacher. Since preaching is a great avenue to train and transform,
informing the group on the importance of the pastor as preacher would prove to be
significant in helping the leaders to be attentive to each preaching moment in order that
they could hear and communicate the right biblical message to their followers. As
preaching was put into perspective, it further encouraged the leaders to see the value of
influence. When the leaders understood the power of preaching they could encourage
others in ministry with them to allow the preaching to transform their mind to be better
servants in ministry.
The seminar lasted approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The first 30 minutes
of the seminar were focused on the pastor and teaching. The next 30 minutes were
focused on the pastor and preaching. The final 15 minutes were a time of discussion
upon both topics. The discussion was very fruitful in that it opened a wider discussion
upon ministry leaders’ role in encouraging members to engage actively in the teaching
and preaching of the Pastor. The discussion also enhanced the importance of teaching
and preaching among the members being transformed into ministry leaders.
Seminar 4
This seminar was in the format of preaching. Once again, preaching was the
method used for the purpose of transformation. Second Timothy 2:1-2 was used for the
seminar sermon entitled “The Caring Leader.” The emphasis was on the importance of
58
the pastor as a spiritual caretaker. In the text, Paul was concerned about the future
generations and ensuring that his message to Timothy would be preserved for the ages.
Paul was a spiritual caretaker and wanted Timothy to be the same. Therefore, this seminar
gave attention to helping the ministry leaders realize the role of being a spiritual caretaker
in their leadership role.
The primary objective of this seminar was to give clarity to the value of being
a spiritual caretaker as one shares the message as a leader. The pastor’s role of being a
spiritual caretaker was highlighted in the sermon so that the members being transformed
into ministry leaders would come to terms with the fact that one cannot be a leader and be
disconnected from being concerned about the spiritual well-being of those being led.
The sermon was approximately 30 minutes in length. After the sermon was
completed the focus group was given an opportunity to discuss how the sermon impacted
their thinking as a leader in regard to the spiritual care of those they would be serving.
This aspect of the seminar lasted approximately 20 minutes. The last 10 minutes of the
seminar was reserved for prayer and meditation upon the sermon and discussion.
Seminar 5
This seminar was a teaching seminar. The seminar centered upon the
importance of the character of the leader. The biblical premise for this seminar was based
upon Titus 2:1. Within this seminar the teaching was focused upon the need to have
integrity in character as a leader.
The first objective of this seminar was to explain how the pastor must have
strong character that is in line with the teachings of the Bible. The point in teaching this
aspect to the group being developed into spiritual leaders was so that the leaders would
realize that as a leader, one must exhibit character that is in line with the word of God.
The second objective was to explain to the group that their daily lives as
leaders should coincide with sound doctrine. As Paul emphasized this to Titus, the pastor
emphasized this to the group. This would be vitally important for the leaders to know
59
because they are often before the church and their character should be in tune with the
gospel if they were going to become effective leaders.
The seminar was 1 hour in length. The first 45 minutes were spent in a lecture
type format. The other 15 minutes were spent in a question and answer format. The
format enabled the group to take notes during the lecture and then discuss with the pastor
various aspects of the lecture. The question and answer period opened up interesting
dialogue about leaders with questionable character and their role in the church.
Seminar 6
This seminar focused on the character of the leader. The primary focus of this
seminar was on the value of good character of the leader and what it meant to being an
effective leader.
The main objective of this seminar was for the group to realize the value of
having strong character as a leader. Paul taught Titus the importance of having strong
character, so the pastor taught the group the importance of having strong character as
leaders. The teaching was instructional, in that the lecture explained how Titus made an
impact as a leader and was influential because of his character. Also the lecture gave
explanation as to how the leader’s character has to be steeped in good doctrine. The
purpose was to show the group that good character is an invaluable quality of any good
leader.
The seminar lasted for 1 hour. The lecture was 45 minutes and the group
discussion lasted approximately 30 minutes. The discussion was very informative and
each person took time to interject something into the discussion. The discussion was not
combative but it enabled various perspectives to be drawn from the lecture and discussed
by the group. Everyone seemed to leave with an enhanced awareness of how valuable
good character is and its effect on the leader and his followers.
60
Seminar 7
This seminar was a preaching seminar that lasted for 1 hour. The sermon
preached in this seminar was based upon the scripture written by the Apostle Paul to Titus
in Titus 2:7. The sermon was entitled “Models of Ministry.” The focus of the sermon
was to highlight the importance of living what one speaks.
The objective of this seminar was to encourage the group to not only speak the
truth but live the truth they speak as leaders. The focus was to help the group to understand
that they must model good character before the people that they lead, the church, and the
world. The sermon was intended to help the group to never become complacent as a leader
and feel as though they could relax their character and not live up to what they were
teaching others to do.
The sermon was 30 minutes. After the sermon, there was 10 minutes reserved
for prayer and meditation upon the sermon. The last 20 minutes was used for reflection
and discussion. The group discussion was very transparent. Some in the group expressed
various convictions that the sermon brought them to as members. This was the most
transformational of all of the seminars to date.
Seminar 8
This seminar was another preaching seminar. This was the last of the preaching
seminars. The sermon was from the passage of scripture written by the Apostle Paul to
Titus in Titus 2:8. The sermon was entitled “Living by the Book.” The premise of the
sermon was to enlighten the group on the need to live in such a way that others would not
be able to suggest that they were not persons of good character and integrity.
The objective of this seminar was to lead the group to a place of transformation
in having sensitivity to living a life with good character as a leader. The sermon centered
on explaining to the group the care that one should take as a leader in not allowing
themselves to forget to keep their character in check. The sermon highlighted the fact that
61
people are constantly watching and as a leader they must always live by the Word of God
in both deeds and talk.
The sermon was approximately 30 minutes in length. After the completion of
the sermon, the group spent 10 minutes in prayer and meditation reflecting back on the
sermon. Then the group spent 20 minutes discussing what they learned from the sermon
and how they could apply what they learned to their lives as leaders.
The group completed a post-seminar survey (see Appendix 2). The survey
included questions that encompassed all 8 seminars. The questions included information
that would measure the effectiveness of the seminars. After the survey was taken by the
group, a discussion was held to dialogue about the questions and the affect the seminars
had on each person individually.
Seminar 9
This seminar was the initial session on the incorporation of the spiritual
disciplines of prayer and fasting in the leader’s life. The pre-test was administered prior
to the initial preaching and teaching seminar that measured spirituality questionnaire (see
Appendix 1).
The first of the two seminars that would focus on the importance of
incorporating the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting was centered on prayer. The
second seminar’s focal point would be fasting. The seminars were formatted in a
teaching and lecturing format with discussion at the end.
The first objective of this seminar was to understand the importance of the
prayer life of the leader. The desire was to teach the leaders a biblical perspective of
prayer and how to incorporate prayer into their daily lives as leaders. This was important
because the group would eventually be leading various ministries and it would be
essential to their leadership to know the value of prayer.
The second objective was to have the group plan how they would incorporate
prayer in their daily lives and journal each day until the next seminar. During the second
62
half of the seminar the group planned to have personal prayer time in the morning, next
they decided to have a prayer call nightly for the following six days after the seminar.
The prayer call was with all of the leaders in the group. Each member of the group
individually prayed on the call and collectively decided what each person would pray
about in regard to an area of leadership development while on the call. The group
utilized this format to see the spiritual affects that prayer would have on their lives as
leaders.
This seminar lasted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The teaching lecture lasted 45
minutes; the group discussion about the prayer plan lasted approximately 30 minutes.
The final 15 minutes was devoted to praying for each member of the group.
Seminar 10
This seminar focused on fasting. However, at the beginning of this seminar,
for 20 minutes, the group discussed how the previous week of prayer had progressed.
The group shared information from their journals and how they were individually
impacted by the prayer exercise that they agreed upon.
The next 45 minutes of the session concentrated on teaching about fasting;
how to fast and the various methods of fasting. The first objective of the seminar was
that the group understood the concept of fasting and how it was important in the life of
believers and leaders. It was significant that the group understood the impact fasting
could have on their leadership if it was incorporated into their lifestyle.
The second objective was to plan a fast following the seminar and then journal
about it. The group spent about 20 minutes planning and discussing the method of
fasting for the next 6 days. The group decided to do a complete fast for 8 hours a day,
from 7 o’clock in the morning to 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The fast was complete
abstinence from all food and liquids excluding water.
The group spent the last 5 minutes of the seminar praying for strength as they
prepared to make a sacrifice to become ministry leaders. The entire group kneeled in
63
prayer and corporately submitted to God their solidarity with one another. They
committed to God and each other for 6 days to grow and become the leaders God wants.
Seminar 11
This seminar was the beginning of 5 seminars that would focus on practical
aspects of leadership. However, at the beginning of the session, the group spent 30
minutes discussing the impact that the fasting had on them individually, on their families,
and on their spiritual life as a whole. This moment marked another defining moment in
the groups’ transformation as leaders.
The seminars that followed the previous two concentrated on training the
group in practical areas of leadership. The intent was to aid the leaders in realizing the
significance of how to pragmatically operate as a leader. The pre-test questionnaire gave
insight as what level of understanding the group members had regarding pragmatic
perspectives of leadership.
The first objective of this seminar was to teach the group the benefits of being
an effective leader. The purpose was to help the group realize the difference in merely
being a leader and being an effective leader. The seminar was designed to help the group
understand the impact an effective leader has on an organization. Therefore, the format
was more of a round table discussion rather than a lecture format and lasted
approximately 30 minutes.
The second objective of this seminar was to develop the members of the group
in such a way that they would be influential leaders. The focus was to discuss and
dialogue about the leader being able to influence others. Much attention was given to
why leaders should have influence and how it could benefit the leader and the ministry
they lead.
The seminar was very insightful and a great deal of exchange took place
between the group members. The format fostered a great learning environment for the
entire group.
64
Seminar 12
This seminar’s focus was on the benefits of being effective in communication
and being a trustworthy leader. The desire was to help the group understand the value of
being able to communicate as a leader with others. Also, being able to gain the trust of
people as a leader was taught in this seminar.
The first objective of this session was to explain how valuable communication
was to the leader. The purpose in teaching this in the seminar was to lead the group to be
cognizant of how they communicate verbally and non-verbally. The need to be able to
communicate could not have been stressed enough in the session. The group spent time
within the seminar practicing verbal and non-verbal communication techniques.
The second objective of the seminar was to cause the leaders to be aware of
what it meant to be a trustworthy leader. In the context of the seminar, learning about
trust was intentional. The group discussed how they had been hurt in the past by leaders
that had betrayed their trust. Then the group dialogued about how to avoid betraying the
trust of those they will serve in ministry. The group also put trust into practice by going
through some exercises where the group had to trust each other in various situations and
scenarios. Those exercises proved to be beneficial for the group. The entire seminar
lasted for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Seminar 13
This seminar concentrated on the benefits of having the ability to connect with
others as a leader. The format of the seminar was lecture and discussion. The group was
taught how important it was to be able to connect with people in such a way that they
could influence them to move from one point to another as a leader.
The primary objective of this seminar was for the group to realize the
advantage of connecting with the right people as a leader. It was explained that as a
leader they must connect with others who could assist them as a leader. There was
65
discussion as to how connecting with the wrong people could have an adverse effect on
them as leaders and also on the ministry.
The group was able to ascertain information from the lecture that sparked
strong discussion. As the group moved into a roundtable discussion, there was dialogue
about the challenges that could occur if leaders connect with the wrong people. There
was discussion on how leaders in the past within the church had connected with the
people who did not have a heart for God and thus did not have a heart for the church or
its ministry. The group talked about how Paul connected with Timothy and Titus and
their impact on his ministry. They looked at how Paul was intentional in sharing his
heart with Timothy and Titus and the affect that it had on them in their leadership.
Seminar 14
This seminar gave attention to the benefits of developing others to become
followers and leaders. The group was taught how necessary it was to develop followers
as a leader. The emphasis was placed upon how followers do not just happen, but the
leader has to earn the right for people to follow them. This teaching dispelled the myth
among some in the group that a title does not automatically result in having followers.
Within the seminar, emphasis was also placed upon the need to develop people
into leaders. The aim was to teach the group that as leaders, they should seek to develop
others into leaders. Once an individual is a follower the goal would then be to develop
them into a leader.
The format of this seminar was lecture and discussion. The primary objective
within this session was for the group to see the value of developing followers and leaders.
The group looked at the model of Paul to Timothy and Titus and also the model of Jesus
to the disciples as a manner of discussion. The group looked at the effect that Paul and
Jesus had on those who followed them how Paul and Jesus developed those individuals
into leaders.
66
Seminar 15
The final seminar was extremely intense. This session was intense because of
the amount of information that was discussed. However, this seminar was in the format
of a 4 hour workshop. The seminar had a lunch discussion at the end that was very
helpful to the group.
The first hour of the workshop focused on the benefits of keeping priorities in
perspective as a leader and how to lead sacrificially. The group was taught the importance
of keeping the things that are of paramount significance in life in the right perspective.
The group discussed the value of family, ministry, and spirituality as things that must
have priority in the leader’s life. The objective was to ensure that the group understood
that as leaders they must not get so enthralled in their role as a leader that they fail to
prioritize.
The group was also taught about sacrifice as leaders. They were reminded that
there would be times as leaders that they would have to give more time, energy, and
sometimes more effort as a leader than others. The objective was to reinforce to the group
that leading involved a great deal of sacrifice. It was important to discuss this with the
group because it is often mistaken that once they become leaders they have an easy path
of comfort and convenience.
The next hour concentrated on being a time conscious leader. The group was
taught how significant timing was as a leader. The emphasis was on being aware of when
decisions are made. The group was led into a discussion regarding how valuable it was
to make right decisions. The group, however, talked about how significant it was for the
leader to make the right decision at the right time. The objective was for the group the
heighten their awareness that making decisions and strategic moves at the right time was
important. During this time of discussions, the group was made aware that being sensitive
to the guidance of the Holy Spirit was extremely imperative to ensure that decisions were
made at the right time. This was also a time that the group reflected back on the need to
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make sure that the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting were incorporated in their
lives.
The third hour of the workshop concentrated on the need to prepare for future
leadership. It was emphatically explained to the group that good leadership prepares for
the future. The group was informed that as leaders they should be preparing others to
take their place in the future. This was a very sensitive matter for the group because some
of the leaders had experienced seeing other leaders within the church remain in position
for an extended period of time. Therefore, much care was given to the group discussion
regarding preparing future leaders.
The objective was for the group to see the potential downfall of not preparing
for future leadership. The group was able to look at past examples within the church and
recognize how necessary it was to prepare for future leadership.
The last hour of the workshop was reserved for a case study (see Appendix 4).
The case study allowed the leaders to utilize all that they were taught in the preceding
seminars and put it into practice. The group spent about 45 minutes being broken up into
four small groups of 5 to work through the case study. After they had talked through the
case study in the small groups, they came back together as one group and had a general
discussion. The group talked about how they would have handled the situation as leaders.
This exercised was very exciting to the group and they seemed to have learned a great
deal from it individually and collectively.
The group was given a post-test questionnaire to complete (see Appendix 1).
The group spent time answering the questions individually and then there was some group
discussion regarding how they seminars had impacted them. The group appeared to have
enjoyed the entire day of work.
Project Summary
The ministry project was a great learning experience. It was quite challenging
but proved to be very rewarding. I have always had a fascination with ministry leadership.
68
The project gave me an opportunity to grow as a spiritual leader while having the
opportunity to develop people into ministry leaders.
The ministry project covered an aspect of ministry that is very advantageous to
the church. I believe that everyone in the focus group completed the training sessions with
a greater understanding of ministry leadership and also a greater desire to lead in ministry
by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I was personally impacted by the training and convicted
to be a better ministry leader. The ministry project had a remarkable influence on the
focus group, the New Mount Olive Baptist Church, and me. From my point of view, the
interaction between the members in the focus group was enhanced. But especially the
relationship between the pastor and members was enriched. The ministry project allowed
leaders to connect with the pastor in a way that had not been experienced in the past. In
chapter 5 of this ministry project, the outcomes of the pre-test and post-test are observed.
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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, I will discuss the ministry leaders’ training and development
period and its efficaciousness. Although the fifteen-week module of training was narrow
in respect to the development process of some of the members of the focus group who
were being developed into ministry leaders, I am to a degree contented with the progress
that was evidenced in regard to the individuals’ knowledge of the goals of ministry
leadership and the ministry development process. As will be reflected in this chapter,
there were many positive outcomes that came out of this ministry project, however, there
were also some challenges that were faced.
Evaluation of Purpose
The purpose of the project was to seek to equip members of the New Mount
Olive Baptist Church for ministry leadership within the fifteen weeks allotted for the
ministry project. Through serious prayer, meditation, and contemplation with God, I
sensed a genuine need to spend time developing the members of the church for effective
ministry leadership. The project was only the beginning of what I sense God is doing in
the life of the New Mount Olive Baptist Church leaders. It was my prayer that God would
lead me to train the leaders spiritually in order that the church would have a greater impact
upon the body of Christ. It was desired that each person would understand, through the
various teaching seminars, the necessity of being developed as a leader in order to be
effective in ministry. I wanted the leaders to realize that ministry leadership is beyond
wearing the title of a leader but knowing the value of having a heart for God and His
people is of paramount importance. It was important that each person understood the
70
spiritual responsibility that is required of ministry leaders. It was also significant that the
individuals within the group realized the need to have an understanding of the practicality
of ministry leadership. Therefore, the intended purpose was to thoroughly train the
members and develop them into ministry leaders.
Evaluation of Goals
Four goals guided this ministry project and ultimately served as the foundation
of assessment for its achievement. The four goals and my response to each on are as
presented next.
The first goal was to make the church members of the New Mount Olive Baptist
Church aware of the fact that the pastor has a role and responsibility to teach church
members in order to prepare them for ministry leadership. Prior to the training sessions,
the leaders of the church were not as cognizant as one would think in regard to ministry
leadership. A number of the people who had been serving in leadership had also worked
and were working in a corporate leadership setting and were bringing a corporate approach
to ministry leadership. Not that a corporate perspective is not appreciated or even needed,
however, the corporate aspect had begun to shape the church’s ministry leadership
structure and there was a great deal of spiritual ineptness.
The training seminars led to a significant transformation of the mindset of the
members of the focus group. The fact that the pastor spent time teaching and training
heightened the awareness of the need for the spiritual leader to guide the members into
the real meaning and significance of spiritual leadership. As the teaching and preaching
seminars progressed, the group began to recognize how important it was for the pastor to
spend time in a hands-on approach to training and developing members for ministry
leadership. The group realized that one of the missing elements in the life of some of the
members was the lack of training for leaders from the pastor.
The second goal was to teach the members the importance of having a strong
spiritual life. A number of the group members realized that they were not where they
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should be spiritually. They also understood that being a ministry leader required having a
strong connection to Christ. Those in the group who felt that their spiritual life was strong
came to terms with the fact that there was still much work that could be done in the way
of spiritual formation for their lives through this teaching process.
This goal was accomplished through a teaching on the spiritual discipline of
prayer and the group incorporated prayer into their daily lives. The majority of the group
was practicing the aspect of prayer consistently. Nevertheless, incorporating prayer as a
leader was the intended goal. It was discovered that some of the members did not make it
a practice to pray prior to making decisions. The leaders became aware of the importance
of praying before making decisions and praying for guidance. The problem that had crept
in on the members was the desire to depend upon academic astuteness and name
recognition rather than depending upon God to give direction. The leaders came to
realization they could never operate in leadership without having an effective prayer life.
As a way of growing the members spiritually and accomplishing the second
goal, the spiritual discipline of fasting was incorporated. The training seminars enlightened
the group about fasting. When the group put the spiritual discipline of fasting into practice,
however, real results were evidenced. The group developed a connection with God that
many stated that they had never experienced. Some of the members of the group grew in
their knowledge of understanding the physical and spiritual sacrifice that comes with
fasting. The group identified that they had an even greater love for Christ when they
reflected on his time of fasting while being tempted by the Devil. The group recognized
that fasting should be incorporated into the lives of ministry leaders weekly.
The third goal was to enlighten the members in regard to practical aspects of
leadership. There were many in the group that felt they were relatively aware of the
practical aspect of leadership. Thus, there was somewhat of a challenge in ensuring that
everyone was engaged in learning the pragmatic perspectives of leadership. The key to
getting the group engaged was moving them from the mindset of a corporate understanding
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of practical viewpoints of leadership to a ministry driven focus. As the practical concepts
were discovered from a ministry and spiritual vantage point, the engagement took on a
different tone. The members began to understand that many problems of the past arose
from the desire to make what was to be holy, common. As the members looked in
retrospect at some of the past failures within the church ministry, there was a change of
focus to really desiring to know how to put the practical concepts into practice.
The fourth and final goal of the project was to secure a focus group of members
from the New Mount Olive Baptist Church that could evaluate the advantages and
disadvantages of leadership development. As the focus group went through the training it
was the consensus of the group that the method of training should be required of any
person who desired to serve in leadership within the church. The group felt that the
components of the training should be a part of the model of ministry for the church.
Through the seminars, surveys, questionnaires, and discussions, the group was able to
assess the value of the project and its benefits to the New Mount Olive Baptist Church.
Evaluation of Results
The group of 20 members comprised 9 men and 11 women ranging from the
age of 18 to 56 plus. The group consisted of deacons, deaconesses, staff ministers, and
ministry coordinators. All of the persons in the group were formally trained. There were
11 individuals holding bachelor degrees, and 9 with either a master or doctoral degree.
The individuals that made up the group had membership with the church ranging from 1
year to as much as 30 or more years. Also, they all held some kind of leadership role
within the church for at least 1 year to over 30 years. Therefore, the group consisted of a
good cross-section of members from the church. The details of the results can be found
in the appendices.
The case study was very helpful and informative for the group. The case study
did more than I initially expected. The group developed a connection by doing the case
study; it fostered a team spirit. The members of the group developed communication skills
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through their interaction. There was also a hands-on dynamic that was experienced by
the group that moved them to put theory into practice. The group utilized the various
perspectives that were discussed in previous seminars pertaining to the practical aspects
of leadership. The group also incorporated prayer while working through the case study.
It proved to be advantageous for each individual as well as for the group collectively.
Strengths
There were a number of strengths that were discovered during the period of the
ministry project. One aspect of the project that was a very noticeable strength was the
benefit of pastoral interaction with the members. The size of the membership of New
Mount Olive Baptist Church, which is approximately 7,000 members, does not necessarily
foster the desired pastor and member relationship that would probably happen in a smaller
congregation. The vastness can easily cause members to get lost in the shuffle and the
pastor to become disconnected from the membership in interpersonal relationships.
Through the ministry project, however, there were many times for actual fellowship and
relational time between the pastor and members. The weight of that personal connection
proved to be an invaluable strength of the project. The members were able to experience
the pastor in a very personable way, and the pastor was able to interact with the members
and share intimate moments with them. The connection also allowed the members to
know the pastor’s heart. In having the privilege to spend the time in a very personal way,
it allowed the pastor to transform the mindset of the group for leadership.
Another strength that was conspicuous was relationship building among the
members. The focus group brought people together that really did not know each other
personally. Just as there is often an apparent disconnect between the pastor and members,
the same disconnect is also prevalent among members within the congregation. That the
members were able to come together and learn together was beneficial to the church in
fostering better relationships and more fellowship. Not only was the coming together of
the group beneficial to the church body, it was spiritually nurturing for the individuals
74
within the group. Each person was able to know more about the church through talking
with various members within the group. The relationships that were forged helped the
leaders to connect even the more with the project. It became very personal to each person
in the group to see the project succeed for the benefit of the entire church’s ministry.
The most obvious strength was the spiritual growth that took place. The pastor
and members grew spiritually. As the teaching, preaching, seminars, and discussions
progressed, the spiritual growth was taking place among all who were involved. The
sense of needing God in ministry became even more evident in the lives of the members.
The members of the group began praying for the leadership of the church more. There
was more talk about fasting as a corporate body seeking God at an even deeper level than
the church had ever done in the past. The moments of fasting and praying that took place
within the group caused for more desire to know the will of God for the church’s
ministry. As pastor, I felt a greater sensitivity to the Spirit of God than ever before. The
project challenged everyone involved to desire to go deeper in relationship with Christ
and bond closer together in Christian love.
The level of commitment from the focus group was also a strength seen within
the project. The group was so committed that it caused the sessions to flow very easily.
The group arrived on time for each seminar, no one complained about the length, content,
or any other aspects of the seminar. The depth of the group’s commitment was
encouraging throughout the project. The group exemplified strong character as they
worked through the various aspects of the project. They were so excited about the project
that they wanted additional days and time to work together. I was truly amazed and
humbly pleased in what I saw God doing in the hearts of the group members.
Weaknesses
There were a number of weaknesses evidenced as the project progressed. A
weakness was the projects length. The fifteen weeks was not adequate enough to gain as
much knowledge that was needed to bring the group to the point of desired transformation.
75
Group discussions that were very informative and insightful could not be carried further
because of the project’s time constraints. More discussion was needed and desired in
some of the areas, but because of the limitation of time, the discussions ended. This I
saw as a significant weakness, because the members of the group were learning from one
another. Also, because of the project’s length the teaching and preaching modules could
not go as deep as potentially needed.
Another weakness was the time spent on the sessions focused on incorporating
the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting. More time should have been given to those
areas of training. The two weeks allotted for those training sessions was not adequate
timing to give attention to the topics of study. There should have been more time to
spend on putting the disciplines of prayer and fasting into practice, which would have
potentially given better results and more accurate findings.
A weakness that was discovered was that practical aspects of leadership would
have been more beneficial being put into practice rather than just being lectured on and
discussed. The knowledge was beneficial, but a more hands-on approach would have
seemingly proved to be better.
What I Would Do Differently
One of the things that I would do differently is I would have spent 5 weeks on
each series of sessions. Rather than have an eight-week, a two-week, and a five-week
model, I would three modules lasting five weeks. Also, I would have formatted the time
of the sessions differently. I would have had alternating two-hour and four-hour session
formats. I believe the time format would be more favorable to the dissemination of the
information that would need to be shared in the seminars.
I would also have some of the seminars off the church site. Being that all of
the seminars were on-site there was some trepidation about discussions among some of
the people in the group. Some of the group participants were concerned that people
outside of the group might have been able to hear the discussions.
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Another thing I would do differently is to have more preaching included. The
preaching sessions were quite fruitful for discussion but more especially for spiritual
growth. The teaching and lecture sessions were invaluable to the project. Nevertheless,
the preaching sessions brought the focus to a more spiritual place.
I would also have more breakout group sessions within the project format. The
breakout groups were very fruitful during the case study discussion. It kept all of the
members of the group completely engaged. When the group was together collectively
some of the group participants did not get as involved. Once in the small groups,
however, everyone contributed to the conversation in their respective small groups.
I would also include more depth in the area of training in spiritual disciplines
of prayer and fasting. I would include the spiritual discipline of scripture reading.
Knowing the Word of God is very important for ministry leadership. It would have given
insight to various areas that a leader can study in the Bible that would give instruction
regarding leadership. Also, in the Bible are many examples of the various challenges that
leaders faced and how they were able to navigate successfully through those moments
with God’s help.
Theological Reflections
This project has been most helpful to the New Mount Olive Baptist Church.
This project essentially surpassed my expectations. I had anticipated teaching some
classes and facilitating some seminars that would be intellectually stimulating with strong
academic arguments for ministry leadership. To my surprised, however, I experienced a
fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to move closer to God in my own understanding of
spiritual leadership. I did not expect this project to convict and challenge me, but that is
the very thing that happened in the process. When I consider my academic journey of the
Doctor of Ministry, the program of study has made me a better spiritual leader, but more
than that, I have grown spiritually through the program. My prayer life was invigorated
through the program. My family has grown closer to God and to each other throughout
77
the project. I have been blessed through the classes at The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary and the ministry project.
Personal Reflections
I am convinced that this project has enhanced the New Mount Olive Baptist
Church. The church was in dire need of a project with this kind of emphasis. I am
humbly grateful to God for leading me to this place of study in my walk with him. I am
delighted and thankful that God moved on the leadership of The Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary to offer a Doctor of Ministry program that is sensitive to the needs
of the African American church. Words cannot convey how thankful my heart is for a
program that is so intentional in its focus to meet the needs of African American churches
and Christians.
I am delighted to have reached this milestone in ministry for the Lord and in
my academic journey. My academic pursuit has been one of great struggle and many
sacrifices, but they have been worth each moment. I have questioned myself as to why I
should continue. According to some standards I have reached a pinnacle point in
ministry by receiving a call to pastor a larger congregation. Nevertheless, I realized that
God had more for my life. It has been through this journey at one of the greatest
institutions of higher learning, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, that God has
continued to chart my course for his glory. I often reflect back on the words that first
caught my attention at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham,
Alabama, Soli Deo Gloria. Those words have kept me focused during my academic
journey.
I am humble that God would allow me to receive such a degree. My greatest
desire is to use this Doctor of Ministry for the glory of God to transform people’s lives.
It is my desire that I will use this degree to impact generations to come in a way that they
will desire to know Christ in a greater way. I remember the words of T. Vaughn Walker
when I initially entered the Doctor of Ministry program, “if you are getting this degree
78
for the letters you will never get it.” Those words helped me to remain focused and
remember why I was seeking the degree. It was not to have a title, but to fulfill a task
that God had laid before me. That task required me to study and diligently work to
improve the hearts and minds of people who would lead God’s people in ministry.
This project has enhanced me as a pastor, preacher, teacher, husband, and
father. I desire to see leaders with the knowledge to lead and a heart to serve God in
leadership. The leadership in my home has been enhanced through this project. I have
sought to be an stronger example before my wife and daughter through the sacrifices
given to this project. This project has helped shaped my thinking in a better way for
ministry. It has helped my confidence as a spiritual leader to aspire to teach men and
women everywhere and equip them for service unto the Lord.
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APPENDIX 1
PRE-SEMINAR QUESTIONNAIRE WITH RESULTS
Agreement to Participate
The research in which you are about to participate is designed to evaluate the level of
understanding you have as we begin our seminars at the New Mount Olive Missionary
Baptist Church. This research is being conducted by Marcus D. Davidson for his Doctor
of Ministry project addressing how to develop church members into ministry leaders. In
this research, you will answer the following questions about pastoral responsibility in
leadership development, spiritual life development of leaders, and practical principles of
leadership development and training. Any information you provide will be held strictly
confidential, and at no time will your name be reported, or your name identified with
your responses. Participation in this study is totally voluntary and you are free to
withdraw from the study at any time. By your completion of this questionnaire, you are
giving informed consent for the use of your responses in this research.
1.
What is your gender?
o Male (9)
o Female (11)
2.
What is your age?
o 18-25 (1: male; 1: female)
o 26-35 (1: male; 3 females)
o 36-45 (2: males; 2: females)
o 46-55 (3: males; 3: females)
o 56+ (2: males; 2: females)
3.
Education
o Some High School
o Finished High School
o Some college or technical school
o Associate’s degree
o Bachelor’s degree (5: males; 6: females)
o Graduate/Master’s/Professional (4: males; 5 females)
4.
How long have you been a member of New Mount Olive?
o 1-5 (1 member)
o 6-10 (4 members)
o 11-15 (2 members)
o 16-20 (1 member)
o 21-25 (8 members)
o Over 30 (4 members)
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5.
How long have you been a leader at New Mount Olive?
1-5 (3 members)
6-10 (3 members)
11-15 (2 members)
16-20 (7 members)
21-25 (4 members)
Over 30 (1 member)
o
o
o
o
o
o
Using the following scale, please write the number that corresponds to your opinions in
response to the following statements. The following responses reflect pre-test results.
1
Strongly Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Uncertain
4
Agree
5
Strongly Agree
1.
I believe it is the pastor’s responsibility to train and develop leaders within the church.
12 agree; 5 uncertain; 3 disagree;
2.
I believe it is the responsibility of theological institutions to train and develop
leaders with the church.
8 strongly agree; 3 agree; 4 uncertain; 4 disagree; 1 strongly disagree
3.
I believe secular institutions should train leaders for the church.
15 disagree; 5 strongly disagree
4.
Using the Bible is not necessary for training and developing leaders for the church.
20 strongly disagree
5.
Leaders within the church should not have to be trained by the pastor to serve in the
church.
5 strongly agree; 9 agree; 6 disagree
6.
Secular training in any field should exempt a person from being required to be
trained by the pastor to lead in the church.
17 strongly disagree; 3 disagree
7.
A person who is a leader in a secular field or occupation is automatically qualified
to lead in the church.
6 strongly agree; 4 agree; 2 uncertain; 8 disagree
8.
Seminars on leadership development taught by the pastor or a biblically trained
person would be beneficial for leaders within the church.
12 strongly agree; 8 agree
9.
The training methods of the Apostle Paul to Timothy and Titus are good examples
of pastoral leadership training.
7 agree; 10 uncertain; 3 disagree
10. Knowledge of the Bible is beneficial for leadership development.
20 strongly agree
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11. Spiritual formation is important for leaders in the church.
6 agree; 14 uncertain;
12. Understanding of the spiritual disciplines of fasting and prayer can benefit a leader
in the church.
8 agree; 12 uncertain
13. Fasting is something you practice often.
14. The spiritual discipline is not relevant in the 21st century.
15. A leader should have a valid prayer life.
10 agree; 10 strongly agree
16. Keeping a prayer journal is important.
17. Keeping a prayer journal is something you do.
2 agree, 18 uncertain
18. Reading scripture as prayer is beneficial.
19. Praying should be a daily routine.
20 strongly agree
20. Prayer is an essential part of the spiritual life of a leader.
21. Leadership ability is important for effective leadership.
22. A leader should have the ability to influence people.
1 agree; 14 uncertain; 3 disagree; 2 strongly disagree
23. Leadership development is something that takes place daily.
9 uncertain; 11 disagree
24. Knowing how to chart the course is not as important as knowing how to steer the ship.
10 uncertain; 10 disagree
25. People listen to a real leader.
26. Trust is a vital part of leadership.
27. People follow strong leaders.
28. Leaders have unique instinct.
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29. Leaders attract people who are like them.
30. People close to the leader affect the leader’s potential.
31. People will connect to the leader’s vision if they connect to the leader.
32. Prioritizing is important to leadership.
33. Leaders have to make sacrifices.
34. Leaders develop leaders.
35. Succession is important for leadership.
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APPENDIX 2
POST-SEMINAR QUESTIONNAIRE WITH RESULTS
Using the following scale, please write the number that corresponds to your opinions in
response to the following statements. The following responses reflect post-test results.
1
Strongly Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Uncertain
4
Agree
5
Strongly Agree
1.
I believe it is the pastor’s responsibility to train and develop leaders within the church.
2.
I believe it is the responsibility of theological institutions to train and develop
leaders with the church.
12 disagree; 8 strongly disagree
3.
I believe secular institutions should train leaders for the church.
4.
Using the Bible is not necessary for training and developing leaders for the church.
20 strongly agree
5.
Leaders within the church should not have to be trained by the pastor to serve in the
church.
6.
Secular training in any field should exempt a person from being required to be
trained by the pastor to lead in the church.
7.
A person who is a leader in a secular field or occupation is automatically qualified
to lead in the church.
15 strongly disagree; 4 disagree; 1 uncertain
8.
Seminars on leadership development taught by the pastor or a biblically trained
person would be beneficial for leaders within the church.
9.
The training methods of the Apostle Paul to Timothy and Titus are good examples
of pastoral leadership training.
10. Knowledge of the Bible is beneficial for leadership development.
84
11. Spiritual formation is important for leaders in the church.
12. Understanding of the spiritual disciplines of fasting and prayer can benefit a leader
in the church.
13. Fasting is something you practice often.
14. The spiritual discipline is not relevant in the 21st century.
15. A leader should have a valid prayer life.
16. Keeping a prayer journal is important.
17. Keeping a prayer journal is something you do.
20 agree
18. Reading scripture as prayer is beneficial.
19. Praying should be a daily routine.
20 strongly agree
20. Prayer is an essential part of the spiritual life of a leader.
20 strongly agree
21. Leadership ability is important for effective leadership.
22. A leader should have the ability to influence people.
23. Leadership development is something that takes place daily.
24. Knowing how to chart the course is not as important as knowing how to steer the ship.
5 strongly agree; 13 agree; 2 uncertain
25. People listen to a real leader.
26. Trust is a vital part of leadership.
20 strongly agree
27. People follow strong leaders.
28. Leaders have unique instinct.
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29. Leaders attract people who are like them.
30. People close to the leader affect the leader’s potential.
31. People will connect to the leader’s vision if they connect to the leader.
32. Prioritizing is important to leadership.
33. Leaders have to make sacrifices.
34. Leaders develop leaders.
35. Succession is important for leadership.
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APPENDIX 3
SURVEY WITH RESULTS
Answer the questions using the scale provided:
Very Helpful (1) Somewhat Helpful (2) Not Very Helpful (3) Not Helpful At All (4)
1.
How helpful did you find the seminar on pastoral development of leaders?
o 1 (17)
o 2 (3)
o 3
o 4
2.
How helpful did you find the seminar on spiritual development of leaders?
o 1 (18)
o 2 (2)
o 3
o 4
3.
How helpful did you find the seminar on practical development of leaders?
o 1 (19)
o 2 (1)
o 3
o 4
4.
Were the seminars helpful for ministry leadership development?
o 1 (20)
o 2
o 3
o 4
5.
Were the seminars biblically helpful?
o 1 (18)
o 2 (2)
o 3
o 4
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6.
Were the seminars academically helpful?
o 1 (15)
o 2 (5)
o 3
o 4
7.
Were the seminars helpful in your spiritual life as a leader?
o 1 (20)
o 2
o 3
o 4
8.
Was the focus group helpful?
o 1 (20)
o 2
o 3
o 4
9.
Was the information presented in a way that was helpful in making you a better
leader?
o 1 (17)
o 2 (3)
o 3
o 4
10. Was the length of the seminars helpful in the development training?
o 1
o 2 (20)
o 3
o 4
Short Answer:
11. What would you do differently to make the seminars
better?____________________________________________________________
12. What would you keep the same in the
seminars?__________________________________________________________
13. Would you recommend these seminars to
someone?__________________________________________________________
14. What were the advantages to the
seminars?__________________________________________________________
15. What were the disadvantages to these
seminars?__________________________________________________________
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APPENDIX 4
CASE STUDY FOR FOCUS GROUP
Instructions:
Based on knowledge obtained from the previous seminars, the focus group will be
divided into smaller groups and will evaluate the case study below. After the groups
have dialogued, they will write a one page analysis. Afterwards, all of the groups will
come together collectively and share their findings.
Case Study:
A family joins the church. The couple has been married for twenty years and
has two children. The couple’s son is getting ready to go to college and their daughter is
a sophomore in high school. The husband is a successful management executive for a
Fortune 500 Company. He has an MBA with a concentration in management from a top
business school and a Ph.D. in leadership from another top ranked school. He is a well
read management executive. He has published works on management and he often leads
management training seminar for the company. He has been in upper level management
for twelve years. He has great people skills and an awesome ability to persuade people to
follow him within the company. He rarely misses Sunday worship, but he is not actively
engaged in any other ministries of the church. He reads his Bible, but he is not an avid
reader of the Bible. He seldom attends Bible class or Sunday school, but he faithfully
pays his tithes and gives an offering. He has even given large sums of money to the
church for various ministries. He has also obtained large financial gifts from his
company for and educational building project at the church.
The wife is a not a college graduate. She is a housewife who works hard daily
keeping the family together. She does all things proper as a wife. She is a superb
homemaker and she is the disciplinarian of the family. She is an avid Bible reader, she
89
attends Sunday school and Bible class regularly, she is a member of the prayer ministry,
and she rarely misses Sunday worship. She is faithful in tithing and giving an offering.
The children are very active in the youth ministry of the church. Both of the
children are stellar students academically and they are not trouble children. Both are a
part of the youth ministry small groups. They regularly attend the teaching ministries of
the church.
Recently, the pastor was approached by some of the leaders of the church and
asked him if he would consider making the husband a deacon. As a church leader, who
has been developed and transformed into a ministry leader, how would you handle this
situation if you decided to make the man a deacon?
90
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95
ABSTRACT
Marcus Demond Davidson, D.Min.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2011
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. T. Vaughn Walker
This project is designed to train and develop church members into ministry
leaders at the New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Chapter 1
states the purpose and goals of this project. Also, attention is given to context, definitions
and delimitations, and the project methodology.
Chapter 2 observes the biblical and theological rationale for developing church
members into ministry leaders. This chapter explicitly gives insight to the role of the
pastor in the development process of training church members to become ministry leaders
and incorporating the spiritual disciplines of fasting and praying into the life of ministry
leaders.
Chapter 3 focuses on evaluating and implementing practical concepts for
leadership training. Perspectives of understanding pragmatic methods of leadership are
examined in this chapter.
Chapter 4 gives attention to the project design. Specifically, an analysis of
how the project was carried out is discussed. Insight is given as to how various training
sessions were presented.
Chapter 5 is a conclusion of the outcome of the project. Various results and
expressions regarding results are given in this chapter.
VITA
PERSONAL
Born:
September 18, 1975, Tuscumbia, Alabama
Parents: Green III and Barbara Davidson
Married: Yvokia Jones, June 1, 2002
EDUCATIONAL
Diploma, Deshler High School, Tuscumbia, Alabama, 1993
B.S., Alabama A&M University, 1997
M.Div., Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, 2005
MINISTERIAL
Pastor, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Courtland, Alabama, 1999-2009
Senior Pastor, New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2009-

Copyright © 2011 Marcus Demond Davidson All rights reserved

Transcription

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